Don't Tell a Soul
by MiZuInK
Summary: She couldn't do anything..not while the crazed man had her..not until she set things right..but until then she has to play the game..they both do because the game was bigger than both of them ever imagined. Rated M for later chapters
1. False Hope

She lies there; cold and alone. Her eyes carefully closed; afraid to believe what her moss green eyes had to show her. She didn't need to see to know. She knew what was in front of her.

She knew what had happened. The cuts on her body were deep and bleeding her crimson liquid around her in an endless puddle of pain. Her hands were tied painfully behind her back, her clothes were ripped in every direction, and her hair was wet against her face from blood and sweat.

Her lungs ached with each breath she took. Her shoulders felt as if they were being ripped apart from their sockets from the tightness of the rope around her wrists. She could hear her heart beat ringing in her ears. The only thing left that let her know she still existed. The beating sound gave her false hope.

"Do you still refuse my offer, my poor little girl?"

Came a voice from in front of her.

She didn't need to look to see who it was. She knew. She felt his fingers lightly brush away her wet hair from her forehead before tracing them slowly and gently down her cheek. Her heart beat quicken from fear. It wanted to run; wanted to run from the monster just inches away from her being. It wanted to live.

"What do you say? Will you join me, my little **Maka-chan**?"


	2. Punishment

"Oi Maka, what's for dinner tonight?" asked the white haired boy as he lazily rested his head on his left hand.

"Mmm, I'm not sure. I haven't decided yet," the girl with pigtails replied without taking her eyes off the book she was reading.

"Well, you better decide soon. School's almost over," the boy commented as his crimson orbs scanned over the gossiping classroom.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't worry Soul, I'll be sure to make something good," Maka replied with a smile.

"Mmm, I believe that'll be fine for today," a man at the front of the class broke into every conversation. "Be ready to dissect a rare species tomorrow," the man wearing glasses grinned, making everyone wonder with fear.

"There he goes again, doing something he knows he shouldn't be doing," Soul gave out an exhausting sigh as he stood up from his seat.

"That's Professor Stein for you," Maka chuckled as she closed her book and followed the rest of her class mates.

"Ah, Maka," Professor Stein called out from the bottom of the classroom.

"Huh? What is it?" Maka and Soul stopped and turned to face the man in the lab coat.

"I have something to tell you."

The young girl studied the man's expressionless face with curiosity. "I'll catch up with you, Soul," she said as she began to descend the steps towards the professor.

"Alright, I'll be waitin'" Soul lazily answered as he made his way out the door.

"What is it Professor Stein?" Maka stood in front of the grey haired man.

"It's nothing bad; I have just been ordered to tell you to report to Shinigami-sama. He wants a word with you," Professor Stein pulled out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.

"Eh? Shinigami-sama? What about?" Maka asked as she studied the man's stitches across his face and clothes.

"Mmm, he didn't say."

"Oh, ok. Thank you," Maka thanked before running up the stairs and out the door. 

"I wonder what Shinigami-sama want with me?" Maka continued to ask herself as she walked down a long corridor of tall, red wooden gates. She watched her boots as they carried her towards her destination as she felt the slight touch of her black coat on the back of her lower calves. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

"Oh, Maka-chan," the sudden voice broke Maka's thought and made her bring her head up to see the source of the voice.

"Hello, Shinigami-sama," Maka greeted the tall man dressed in a long black cloak and a rounded skull mask. "You called me?"

"Ah, yes. I had something I needed to discuss with you." Shinigami walked over towards a low table and sat down on a small, square pillow.

"What about?" Maka slowly made her way up to the platform on which the shinigami was seated upon. She gave a quick glance around the large room and found a few clouds slowly floating around the light yellow wall paper that faded to a faint blue.

"Well, as you know, your Papa has gone off on a Mission. Both he and I came to an agreement on a certain topic," Shinigami spoke softly as he poured himself a cup of tea. "Would you like some tea, Maka-chan?"

"No thank you. But my Papa? What did you two agree on?" Maka asked as her brows came together at the sound of her father who she resented.

"Well, he felt it was a terrible and a foolish mistake that both you and Soul-kun to have eaten a fake witch's soul when in reality, it was just a cat soul," he spoke before taking a sip from his tea, "Such a foolish mistake that he and I have come to a decision to punish you."

"Punish me? But Shinigami-sama, it was an honest mistake! It was Blair's fault for the way she dressed and for the magic she used!" Maka protested.

"Be that as it may, DeathScythe and I have come up with a perfect way for you to earn what you lost," Shinigami stared straight at Maka, "with extra credit."

"Huh?" Maka's jaw dropped. "Extra credit?"

"Yes, I'm sure at this point you've noticed that you are one of the only ones who haven't gotten a single soul on your quest to achieve 99 Kishin souls and 1 witch soul, haven't you?"

"Y-Yes, I already know that but what extra credit am I suppose to take?" Maka asked, tears in her eyes from the failure she felt.

"Hmm…it proves a problem that every single extracurricular activity here at Shibusen is full…so it would be wise for you to find something on your own," Shinigami laughed.

"Find one on my own? Like what?"

"You can choose anything you want. Learning a sport, trade, instrument—"

"Instrument? You mean like a piano?" Maka asked, cutting him off.

"Yes, but to make it a challenge, you cannot learn piano due to the fact that Soul-kun already knows the instrument." Maka's eyebrows came together in frustration, "Just choose whatever you want, within reason, and report back to me with what you've chosen. But most of all have fun!" Shinigami laughed as he gave Maka a peace sign with his giant white gloved hand. 

It was late when Maka opened the door to her apartment after having her discussion with the Grim Reaper.

"I'm home," she sighed as she closed the door behind her.

"Oi, I waited for you at school. What happened?" Soul called from the living room, annoyed.

"I'm sorry Soul, Professor Stein told me Shinigami-sama wanted to talk to me and so I went to talk to him…" she replied in a sad tone as she walked over towards the fridge and looked inside.

"Huh? Shinigami-sama? What did he say?" Soul got up from his seat on the couch and walked over towards Maka.

"He just said I needed extra credit because we messed up when we thought Blair was a witch soul," Maka slammed the fridge door at the angry memory. "So, now I have to choose something outside of school because everything else is taken at school…" she whined.

"That's bull! Well, wha'cha gonna choose?"

Maka looked down at the kitchen table in front of her, "I think I'm going to choose an instrument."

"Good luck with that. Tell me when you've chosen one," Soul laughed as he made his way back to his spot on the couch to watch some more T.V.

"You'll see," Maka angrily said to herself before storming off to her room, slamming the door behind her. 

It had been 2 hours since Maka walked into the apartment when Soul finally decided to turn off the T.V. and head to his room to finish some much needed homework. Just as he reached for his doorknob, the door to Maka's room suddenly opened.

Maka appeared in her green and yellow pajamas that she always wore to bed. "Oh, Soul guess what? I finally decided what instrument I'm going to learn," the light brown haired girl happily said.

"Oh really? What is it? A flute?" Soul joked as he laughed.

"No, I'm going to learn to play the violin."

Soul's laughter instantly stopped. "The violin? Why'd you choose that?"

"Because I thought 'What goes well with a piano?' and I came up with the violin. I mean, it's such a beautiful instrument and sound. Isn't it cool?" Maka asked with a smile.

Soul hesitated, "Yea, cool."

"Well, see you tomorrow. Goodnight," Maka smiled before going back into her room and closing the door behind her.

Soul waited a moment before he slowly opened his door and stepped inside his room. He closed the door behind him before resting himself against the wooden door. "Yeah…it's really _**cool**_…" he whispered as he clenched his fists.

**~Hello thar,**  
**sorry for the short first chapter but I just wanted to say that I have this story on another site where it is currently at 30 chapters so if you like there is still more to be posted ^^ I just need time because my job takes alot out of my day so please bare with me ^^' thanks for reading and I do hope you enjoy future chapters to come XD ~MiZuInK  
****=I do not own Soul Eater & characters=**


	3. Worry

"Oi! Maka! Soul!" a boy with light blue hair called out with a big grin.

"Hey, Black Star," Soul greeted with a grin as he walked up to the boy and slap hands. "What's up?"

"Hello Maka-chan, Soul-kun." greeted a tall woman with a single pony tail.

"Hello Tsubaki-chan," Maka greeted as she stood in front of the pair.

"So, I heard Maka has'ta do extra credit for messin' up with that cat soul," Black Star laughed.

"Black Star…" Tsubaki quietly tried to settle down her partner.

"Who told you?" Maka's eyebrows came together as her cheeks flushed slightly.

"It's been going around school. So wha'cha gonna do? Learn to dance? Sew? Cook?" Black Star laughed as he held his stomach.

"No! I decided to learn how to play the violin!" Maka's cheeks flushed a deeper red.

"I think that's a wonderful choice, Maka-chan." Tsubaki agreed with a warm smile.

"Thanks," Maka smiled back.

"Neh, Soul."

Soul's eyes widened at the sound of his name. He lifted his stare from the floor, "Mmm?"

"What's up? You look down. Could it be because you're in the presence of the one who will surpass God?" Black Star gave out a loud laugh as he bent himself backwards.

"Black Star…" Tsubaki called out calmly once more.

"Yeah right! You won't even surpass an ant!" Maka insulted as the three laughed together.

Soul slowly lowered his eyes back down to the floor until his bangs covered his crimson orbs. "…So, she's really going through with it…"

"Later Soul! Maka!" Black Star waved good bye as he and Tsubaki walked away from the pair.

"Good bye Soul-kun. Maka-chan." Tsubaki smiled warmly as she followed her big ego partner.

"See ya!" Maka called back as she and Soul walked in the opposite direction. "Neh, Soul."

"Mmm?" the white haired boy looked over lazily towards his meister. He studied her plaid skirt as it moved rhythmically with every one of her steps, causing a tight ball to form in his chest.

"What's wrong? You've been acting very strange…Are you getting sick?" the young girl looked Soul's face over carefully.

"Maka, there's nothing wrong. I'm not sick." He pushed her gently away to keep her face from coming any closer to his. "Don't worry about me. I've just been having…thoughts. That's all…" he carefully answered as he stuck his hands back into his black jacket pockets.

"Thoughts? What kind of thoughts?" Maka cocked an eyebrow. She hated whenever something bothered Soul. It had to be important if it bothered him to the point where he didn't act up or kid around with Black Star, which was his best friend. But most of all, it made her worry whenever he was in one of these "funks" because she felt useless to him.

"Nothing! They're just thoughts! Just drop it Maka!" he growled as his sharp teeth came together angrily.

"Fine! Sorry for worrying about you!" Maka screamed back at him as she ran ahead of Soul.

"Oi! Maka, where're you goin'?" Soul called out when he noticed she was going down a different road then what they usually took to go back home.

"Don't worry about it! Just go home!" she answered without looking back at Soul.

"Ah…crap…I fucked up…again…" Soul cursed at himself as he stood in the deserted street; alone.

Maka finally stopped running after she knew Soul was out of sight and not following her. She slowly tried to regain her breathing back to normal as she began to walk down the empty streets. She pulled out a small folded piece of paper from her skirt and read the number.

"58543." She quietly read out loud as she began to look at each house's number to find the corresponding one. From the pattern of numbers on the houses, she knew she had a long while before she would reach any number even close to the one she was looking for.

She continued to walk, running into only a couple of people along the way who were getting off work or returning from the market. She waved back at a little blonde haired girl who was walking with her mother when she realized something. She missed her mother.

Maka hadn't seen her mama ever since she left on her trip around the world. By then, she and Maka's papa were already divorced, which meant Maka was left to deal with her idiotic and lecherous father. It was because of his ways that Maka's mother divorced him, and yet, that even didn't make him learn his lesson. Maka was always catching him with a new woman ever since she was 6 or 7 years old. She felt as if she could never trust another man again if all he'd do was lie and cheat.

But it felt different when she met Soul. She could still remember the cool black suit he wore when he first met her. He was playing the piano before he gave her his promise to be her weapon with a toothy grin.

She trusted him with her life because she knew he would protect it with his own. And it was true countless times in the midst of battle; whenever things got close, Soul was there to protect her. He hadn't failed her yet. The thought brought a smile to her face. She knew she made the right choice to make him her weapon and join Shibusen to stop any evil from harming the world again.

Maka was so caught up in her thoughts she almost missed the house she had been searching for. She looked at the number on the house before looking down at the piece of paper to find the two were the same. Her eyes widened at the size of the house.

The black and red painted, two story house was gated off from the outside world. It looked like it had at least 10 bedrooms, each with its own window. Red roses lined the walk way up towards the front door which filled the front yard with their beautiful scent.

Maka reached for the gate and pulled on it; only to find it locked. She pulled harder but to no avail. It was only then did she find an intercom with a single button on it. She studied the little white button before finally deciding to press it. The button gave out a tiny buzz under the pressure of her index finger before she released it. The nervous girl took a small step away from the intercom as she waited in awkward silence.

"Yes, who is it?" a snobbish, deep voice came from the intercom.

"Oh! Um, yes. Hello, my name is Maka Albarn. I'm here about the violin lessons? Is this the right house?" Maka nervously asked into the white box.

There was silence on the other side of the intercom that made Maka uneasy about whether or not she got the right house or not.

Maka leaned into the intercom once more, "Um, hello-?" she called out but was suddenly cut off by the loud sound of the large wooden front door opening. A tall and slender white haired man stepped out from the house and began making his way towards Maka.

The young girl stepped away from the intercom to study the man walk towards her. She felt her heart beat quicken from uncertainty with every step he took that made the space between them smaller and smaller. She quickly pulled at her white button up shirt and fixed her tie just moments before the man reached the gate.

He opened the gate and stood in front of Maka, "Yes? Can I help you?"

Maka was surprised to find the man to be a young man; no more than 20 years of age. She was lost in the man's perfect features and beautiful, straight white hair. She couldn't see his eyes from behind the black glasses he wore, but even then she knew they too were perfect. "…Oh! Yes, hello! I'm here for the violin lessons…" she answered, feeling intimidated by his presence.

"Ah, yes. So you want to learn the violin?" he gave her a handsome smile.

"Yes, I'd be so grateful." Maka smiled back.

"Very well. You may call me Wes, what is your name again?" he extended his hand out to her with a warm smile.

"Maka; Maka Albarn," she answered as she took his hand in hers.

"Maka Albarn…I'm sure you and I are going to learn a lot from each other…" he commented with a grin as he shook her hand.

**~Oh my, things just got interesting SOUL EATER & CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME~MiZuInK**


	4. Nosebleed

"That damn Maka…going off like that…" Soul walked up the stairs to his apartment as he continued to mumble to himself. He reached into his pant pocket and retrieved a black key. He finally reached the top of the stairs to find a single red door. The black key fit perfectly in the door's keyhole, making a click sound with a slight twist of Soul's hand.

"Soul-kun!" a high pitched voice boomed as soon as Soul opened the door into his apartment.

"Gah! B-Blair!" the surprised boy watched as the tall, slender, dark purple haired woman, wearing only a bra and a pair of panties walked towards him.

"Welcome home, Soul-kun!" she cried as she pulled him into a hug, burying his face in her cleavage.

"Gah!" Soul passed out as his nose began to spout blood.

"Ah! What's wrong Soul-kun?" the woman's cat ears perked in concern.

"P-Put some clothes on!" Soul finally let out, prying himself from Blair's arms.

"Huh? But I do have clothes on." Blair pointed to her bra.

"No! I mean real clothes! Like a shirt and pants!" Soul plugged his nose with tissue as he looked away from the full grown woman.

"Oh, ok! Be right back," she smiled as she went off into a room to change.

"I swear, that cat gets me into nuthin' but trouble…" he muttered with a sigh as he made his way towards the kitchen.

"Where's Maka-chan?" Blair called from her room.

"Dunno. She just took off without telling me where," Soul replied, opening the refrigerator door to take a peek inside.

"Are you hungry?" Blair's voice came from behind Soul, causing him to hit his head on the freezer door.

"Ow!" Soul pulled away from the fridge and rubbed the bump on his head, "N-No, I'm not hungry. Don't worry bout it Blair."

"But Maka-chan isn't here to cook…Why don't I cook for you?" Blair happily asked with wide golden eyes.

"Y-You don't need to do that! I'm not hungry!" Soul desperately tried to back away from the eager cat.

"You can't lie to me Soul-kun! I'm making you dinner!" the woman declared with a tight fist as she went to work. "Do we have any fish and onions?"

But Soul already disappeared into his room.

**A/N: Hello everyone ^^ I'm back, and hoping things will go smoothly on this site. I just finished the fanfic on my other site, and finally have time to post it here. I will be posting every single week, not sure when because I work a lot lol. But it will be done! Thank you for reading! ~MiZuInK**


	5. Secret

"Come on in, Maka-kun. Can I take your coat?" Wes asked with a warm smile as he watched Maka look around his house in complete awe.

"No thank you…" Maka answered as she looked around with wide eyes. Wes' house was beautiful inside and out. She couldn't find a single speck of dust or anything out of place. The walls were a crimson color with black trimming. Pieces of art work hung from every wall and beautiful vases sat on top of perfect tables that made Maka look down at herself and feel unworthy.

"Come, right this way." Wes led Maka from the entrance through the living room and into the, what seemed to be a, lounge. On the opposite side were a set of glass framed doors that led into the enormous back yard. "Have a seat Maka-kun," Wes invited as he took a seat on a black leather chair.

Maka took a nervous seat on a long black leather couch opposite Wes. She placed her hands on her knees and glued her eyes to them, afraid to look at the man.

"Come now, I'm not one of your teachers Maka-kun. You can look at me."

Maka's heart beat spiked up with the sound of her name escape his lips. She slowly looked up at the man with the black sunglasses and blushed.

Wes slowly grinned, "There now, was that so hard?" he laughed. "Now then, what brought you here today, Maka Albarn?" he asked as he laced his fingers and rested his left leg on top of the other.

"Oh, well, you see, I was asked to do extra credit to make up for a mistake I did a while back, and well, everything at school is already taken…So, I had to look outside of school for something; I could pick anything within reason…So, I decided to pick an instrument to play- -."

"And that instrument was the violin." Wes finished her sentence with a smile.

"Y-Yes… And after I researched it for a while, your ad came up which caught my eye. I had to see if you'd be my instructor." Maka eyes looked at the man straight on.

"Hmm, I see."

"Oh, but I didn't see any price on the ad so I was wondering how much my lessons would be…"

"Free of charge."

Maka's eyes widened. "Free of charge? No, I can't have you do that! Please, name your price and I will come up with it Wes-shihan." Maka pleaded.

"Shihan?" Wes' smile dropped slightly. "Why Shihan?" he chuckled. "But in all seriousness, no charge. I'm pretty sure you've already noticed; I'm well off. I don't need any more money. So please, don't worry about it." He gave her a warm smile. "I consider teaching a cute girl my payment.

Maka's cheeks flushed, causing her to look away.

"So tell me, have you ever played the violin before? Or any other instruments?"

"No, I've never played any instrument before," she nervously answered, cheek still flushed. "Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all. I just wanted to see what I had to work with," he replied with another warm smile. "Tell me, you're still going to school, correct? Where do you attend?"

"I attend Shibusen."

"Ah, Shibusen. Good school. Are you a weapon or a meister?" Wes asked as he rested his head on his hand.

"A meister." Maka answered with a proud smile.

"Oh, I see. I'm sure you're parents are proud. They were a powerful pair back when I was your age. Death City owes them a huge debt from the many things they've done in the past," Wes said with admiration in his voice.

"Yeah…back when they were still together…"

Wes' hand twitched. "Maka, I know you're papa has made some bad choice in his life, but I truly know that he loves you and your mama very much," he spoke quietly.

Maka studied the floor close to her feet. It always seemed that everyone had some sort of comment on her parents' relationship. "Well, he made too many bad decisions for my mama to believe him anymore." Maka's eyebrows came together in anger.

"I understand but I'm not trying to change your opinion. I just believe that he still cares for you and your mama. I also believe that he made a power girl."

Maka's eyes came back to the man's face. "You don't really mean that."

"Of course I do," he smiled, "Why wouldn't I?" he switched legs. "So, do you have a weapon?"

"Yes, I do."

"What is he or she?"

"A scythe and it's he." she laughed.

"Ah, just like your mama and papa huh? You purposely went out to find him?"

"Actually, no. I just met him one day and felt, for the first time in my life, that I could trust a man…It just so happen he was a scythe too." Maka laughed once more. "He was playing the piano and it was such a beautiful sound…gentle and caring…I've never trusted another man before…but he changed that in me." Her eyes softened.

"What's his name?"

"Soul."

Wes' hand came up slowly, "Soul? What kind of name is that? Strange." Wes commented with a slight smile.

"Yeah, I thought so too. But if you think his name's weird, you should meet my other friends." Maka laughed.

"I'm sure you're right. What is Soul like?"

"He's quiet when he's alone, but once he gets with Black*Star, his best friend, he gets loud and destructive. But he always wants to be cool and gets upset at himself when he does anything that's not," Maka frowned as she looked down at her boots.

"He wants to be cool? Why would he want something like that?"

"I don't know. He's never told me…"

Wes lowered his head a bit, "Such a strange boy indeed." The man took a cup of tea from the plate his servant presented him. "Does he go to Shibusen with you? How old is he?"

"He's the same age as me and yes, he also goes to Shibusen," Maka answered as she waved the cup of tea away.

"Mmm, that's good," he replied before taking a sip from his cup.

"But Soul was the best partner I could have ever chosen. I don't ever regret making that decision." Maka's eyes softened with a slight smile of the memory. "He's been there for me every time…when things got bad, he made sure I was safe…he's never failed me once…" her mouth formed a gentle smile.

Wes watched the girl as she continued to stare off in her own world. "Well, he sure sounds like a great partner." He placed his tea cup back on his servant's platter.

"He is." Maka's eyes finally met the man's shaded ones. "May I ask you one of my own questions?"

"Certainly."

"You don't have to answer it, since it is personal and all…" she looked slightly away.

"No, not at all. It's only fair, seeing as how I asked you a couple of personal questions," Wes smiled, "Go ahead, ask me anything." He laughed, his curiosity aroused.

"Well, it's not that bad…I just wanted to know if you were an only child…"

Wes' eyebrows rose, "An only child? Unfortunately, I am not. I have a younger brother," he smiled.

"A younger brother?" Maka asked with a smile. "What's his name?"

"Evans…His name is Evans. He's about your age now." He answered in a small voice.

"Wow, really? Where is he?" Maka's eyes widened with curiosity.

"Last I heard he was in school, apparently. He doesn't live at home with our parents." Wes rested his cheek upon his left hand.

"Oh, why did he leave? Do you still talk to him?" Maka's eyebrows came together in confusion.

"He was the one who decided to leave us. Out parents didn't force him out. He knows where I and our parents' live…he could talk to us when he's ready to come back…" Wes' hand formed into a tight fist.

Maka studied the man's fist and saw white beginning to show on his knuckles, "Oh, I see…um…is he a human…? Or a meister…? I apologize for my question- -"

"No, not at all, I'm happy to answer your questions," he smiled as he released his tight fist. "He's a weapon." Wes waved Maka's worry away.

"Really? What kind of weapon is he?" Maka's curiosity was intrigued once more.

"He is the blade type…"

"Oh, wow. That's very cool," Maka replied to his answer.

"Do you wish to know something about our family?" the man paused as a slight smile formed on his face. "He is the only one to be born weapon, ever, in our family. Never once has there ever been a case where a weapon was born of a meister and human family. He is, what you would call, a **black sheep**."

Maka was surprised by the tone in Wes' voice. "You make is sound like it's a bad thing…Your brother was the first to start the line of weapons in your family, surely that would be exciting news."

"Perhaps…" he muttered. "Is there anything else you wish to know?" the man leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees with a smile.

"Oh, on. That's all," she blushed.

"Good, then let us call this meeting to an end. I wouldn't want you leaving here too late now," Wes stood with Maka following his lead. "I wouldn't want to keep you from your school work," he led her back to the front entrance. "Let us start your lessons in two days?"

Maka looked up at the tall man, "Two days? Sure, that should give me enough time to get my own violin…"

"None sense, I will loan you one of my own. I have plenty to do so," he quickly added, stopping Maka from protesting.

"Do I need to bring anything?" Maka asked, looking to her right.

"Nope. Just you," he chuckled as he lightly tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger, causing the girl to go crossed eyed for a moment. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Maka-kun. I look forward to your lessons," he gave her a bow with a grin.

"I-It was nice meeting you too! Thank you for teaching me. I promise to do my best." She clenched her fist with a smirk.

"I'm sure you will."

"Bye bye, Wes-shihan." Maka began walking out the door as she waved.

"Oh, and one more thing, Maka-kun," Wes stopped her just as she reached the first step.

"Yes, what is it?" she looked back at the man in the door way.

"It's not much really, but I would greatly appreciate it if you wouldn't use my name when referring to me."

Maka was taken a back from his request, "Oh…um…ok…" she looked down, a bit disappointed and confused.

"Also, if you could refrain from describing my appearance to anyone else as well."

"But why Shihan?" Maka's eyebrows came together in confusion.

"It's not that I'm bragging or anything, it's just that because I'm so 'talented' in my abilities, there have always been those who wish to seek me to teach them. So, in order to keep them away and insure that only you get to be taught, you will help both me and yourself by keeping my identity secret and the whole where abouts of where I reside." He answered, taking a step toward Maka. He took her chin in his hand and lifted it up to look her in the eyes, "Think of this as another way to pay for your lessons, yes?"

Maka's breath caught in her throat as Wes' face was only a couple of inches away from her own. She could smell the sweet scent of his breath that it made her want to stay in his presence forever. "Y-Yes…Shihan. I promise to keep your secret safe…" she muttered, barely able to keep her voice from shaking.

"That's a good girl," he smiled. "I look forward to seeing you in two days," he released her chin and took a step back.

"Ah, yes. Thank you for everything Shihan. Good bye," Maka called out as she forced herself to walk down the steps and out the gate; away from the intoxicating man.

"I look forward to teaching you a lesson…**Maka-chan**…"


	6. Black Cat

"I wonder why Wes-shihan doesn't want me to tell anyone about him…I mean, surly being noticed isn't all that bad, is it?" Maka muttered to herself a she made her way up to her apartment door. "But I made a promise…and I'm going to keep it." She told herself before opening the door. "Oi! Soul, I'm home."

"Ack! Get off me!" Soul's voice came from inside his room.

"Ah, Maka-chan's home." Blair's voice followed.

Maka made her way to his slightly opened door and pulled it open to find Soul on the floor with Blair on top of him. Maka watched as Blair smiled at her as Soul's expression dropped.

The boy tried to get Blair off, "M-Maka! T-This isn't what-!"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm home now. I'm going to my room," she cut him off before walking off towards her room.

"Ah…" Soul froze with shock and disbelief as he heard her close the door to her room.

"Nya, it seems like there's something on her mind, huh?"

"Mmm," he answered the cat as he picked himself up and made his way out of his room. He stood in front of her door, sweat drops forming from fear of her anger and hate. "O-Oi, Maka."

The door opened to show the young girl, "What is it Soul?"

Soul took a step back, caught off guard by Maka's calm response. "Oh, well, I just wanted to say that what you saw back there…" he began to scratch his head as he looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"What about it?"

Soul's eyes widened as he instantly stop scratching his head. He slowly looked the girl in her eyes but couldn't find a single hint of anger or annoyance. "Oh, well…nuthin'…" he muttered as he slowly lowered his head.

"Ok, well good night." She began to slowly close the door before Soul's hand came up and stopped it. "What is it Soul?" her eyebrows came together in annoyance.

"Are you…ok?"

Maka blinked. "Me?" she pointed at herself. "I'm fine…Don't worry about me…" she whispered, looking away before gently closing the door.

Soul heard retreating footsteps from behind her door. His hand was still flat against the wooden door. He slowly leaned his head forward until it rested against the door. He gritted his teeth as he closed his hand into a tight fist. "…But I'll always **worry** about you…"


	7. Never

Maka was sitting in her classroom reading her latest book, waiting for the final bell to ring so that she can head over to her violin lessons. Her eyes were pulled from her book down to the black case that was sitting quietly in front of her.

"What's this?" a young boy asked as he interrupted Maka's stare.

"Eh? Oh, Kid-kun," she looked up at the black haired boy who had 3 white stripes going across the left side of his hair. "It's the case for my violin," she answered happily.

"You play the violin?" asked a tall female with long, dirty blonde hair and a cow boy hat sitting on top of her head.

"Wow!" screamed out another female with the same colored hair only shorter and wearing the same hat.

"Well, not yet…I'm learning." Maka smiled embarrassingly.

"Ah, the violin is such a beautiful instrument. It's perfectly symmetrical in its shape and strings." The boy smiled widely with a glint in his eyes, holding his hands in awe as the taller woman rolled her eyes.

"Of course you would like it Kid-kun." Maka laughed.

"May I see it?" Kid pointed at the black case.

"Go ahead. It's not mine, I'm borrowing it from my instructor, We-" Maka cut herself off "I-I mean Shihan." She quickly caught herself but to her relief, no one noticed her slip. *I have to be more careful…I can't let anyone know his real name…I made a promise to Wes-shihan.*

"Ack!" Kid let out before falling to his knees. "W-Why? W-Why would such a thing…happen?" he cried as he stared up at the ceiling with lost hope and tears in his eyes.

"Huh? What's wrong Kid-kun?" Maka got up from her seat to check on her friend, worried about his well being.

"Oh, he just noticed something with your violin," the tall woman muttered as she let out an exhausted sigh.

"Huh? What do you…?" Maka looked into the case and saw the black violin sitting there. Not a single scratch on it with its bow lying next to it, undisturbed. "What's wrong with it?" Maka looked back at Kid who was mumbling to himself.

"It only has three strings!" the smaller woman laughed as she continued to tease her meister.

"Huh?" Maka looked back at the violin and counted the strings. "Ichi…ni…san. Oh, I see."

"And Kiddo don't like uneven numbers!" the young woman laughed again.

Just then, the bell rang.

"Oi, Patty, we need to get going."

"Hai!" the short haired woman agreed.

"But Liz, what about Kid-kun?" Maka asked, still worried about her friend.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine once we get home where everything is symmetrical." The tall woman answered, annoyed at the fact. "C'mon Patty, let's go." Liz called her little sister before picking up Kid from the floor and carrying him on her back.

"'Kay!" Patty called back as she followed her sister.

"Ok…bye…" Maka uttered but they were too far away to hear her.

Maka walked down the streets with Soul by her side, quietly following her with so many questions on his mind. The past couple of days it seemed as if she'd been avoiding him. Even conversation was just a couple of words exchanged back and forth to each other. The uncomfortable silence was killing him inside. His heart beat was uneven and pounding hard against his chest.

"Maka- -"

"I'm going to be late so I'm not going to be able to make dinner. I'm pretty sure you can manage without me." The young girl unknowingly cut her weapon off.

Soul looked up at his meister and found her staring ahead. "But Maka, what about you? This couldn't be good for you! Every day you go to school and then off to that person's house and you don't come home till later! I don't see you eat or do your school work! I don't ever get to see or talk to you anymore! Why can't you just show me where he lives? It's my job to protect you as a weapon but how can I do that if I don't even know where you are? If anything happens to you I won't be able to - -!"

"Stop it Soul!"

The white haired boy flinched at her loud voice.

"Look…I can take care of myself…I don't need to depend on you all the time…" her look was full of sorrow. "Besides, I can't tell you where he lives, it's a secret. And don't you follow me Soul. Please, trust me…I want to make up for the mistake that I made…" she whispered, her head lowered.

"The mistake that we **BOTH** made," Soul walked over to the girl and took her hand in his. "But, if this is what you want…then I'm fine with it…but…just be careful…"

Maka raised her head and looked straight into Soul's crimson orbs. "Mmm." She agreed before shaking his hand to seal the deal. "I promise." She smiled but was still upset. It was because of her that Soul had gotten hurt by Corona's sword. He had protected her and as a result, earned a scar that ran from the top of his left shoulder down across his chest to his ribs on his right. The young girl still remembered the first time she saw the stitches on his person. It killed her inside and she wanted to fall down to her knees and plead for forgiveness with tears pouring down her face.

But Soul had forgiven her without hesitation. He saw nothing wrong with what happened. If anything, he saw it as proof that he was doing his job in keeping Maka safe. He had never blamed her for her stupid actions. She truly didn't deserve Soul as her weapon. Maka looked deep into the boy's eyes and saw her own sad reflection.

The brown haired girl crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Soul's neck; catching him off guard. Soul's eyes widened from shock and unexpectedness. His body went stiff against his meister; not knowing if he was suppose to wrap his arms around her tiny frame. But he was afraid; afraid that if he moved the slightest she would release him. But he couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her tiny waist; pulling her close.

"Thank you Soul," Maka whispered into his ear as a single tear escaped her eye.

"Huh?" Soul's eyes twitched at her unexpected reply.

The young girl then quickly pulled away from her weapon and turned away from him, "Sorry, I better get going, Shihan is waiting for me." Maka called back as she began to run.

"A-Ah! Oi, Maka!"

"Don't worry, I'll try not to be too late Soul!"

Soul watched as his meister ran off and disappeared around a corner and into the city. He stood there in a daze; not wanting to move for fear that the feeling would fade. He never wanted the warm feeling that Maka Albarn gave him to ever go away.


	8. Method

"Why Maka-kun, I was beginning to worry," the white haired man greeted as he opened his door to the young girl with a warm smile.

"I'm sorry Shihan, I just had to reassure Soul that I was going to be fine," Maka informed the man as she stepped into the luxurious house.

Wes quietly closed the door behind her, "…What do you mean? What is there to be worried about?" he slowly turned to look at her behind his black sunglasses.

"Well…" Maka looked away, slightly embarrassed, "he's just worried 'cus he doesn't know where you live…"

"And that is a problem to him?" Wes watched her carefully.

"Well, to him, it is…" she lowered her head.

"And why is that?" he took a step closer to the meister.

"Because if anything happened to me he wouldn't be able to do anything…" her voice became small and uncertain. She could feel her heart flutter with the thought of anything negative happening to her without Soul by her side to protect her.

Wes slowly placed his hands gently on her slender shoulders, making Maka jump at his slight touch. "My dear Maka-kun, do you think I would just stand by and allow such a thing to happen?" he leaned in close to her eye level.

Maka's breath caught in her throat with the man's closeness. She could see the tiny details of his face, single white stands resting against his perfect face, but most of all, she could almost make out the form of his eyes. She could feel her face getting warmer with each passing beat of her racing heart. I can't stay this close, she thought, becoming nervous with his stare. "O-Of course…not…" the brown haired girl stuttered as she turned her head away from Wes' face.

"That's good." He laughed with a smile. "Now then, let us start shall we?" Wes finally released Maka and walked around her toward his study room.

Maka released her held breath and took another to steady herself. "Hai," she agreed as she turned to follow his lead.

"You brought the violin right?" Wes called from the room.

"Ah, yes! Yes I did," Maka answered as she made her way to the room, passing Mr. Napa, Wes' servant.

"That's good. Have you been practicing at home at all?"

"Ah…well…no…" Maka's smile fell with shame.

Wes looked back at her from where he was standing. "You should. It would better your skills and besides, I'm sure your partner would be more than happy to listen to you."

"I don't know about that…" Maka walked over to Wes and found a leather strap in his hands that hung from the ceiling. "What's that for?"

"What, this? It's for you," Wes smiled.

Maka's eyes widened, "M-Me?" she pointed at herself, "But why?" she asked frantically.

"Well, from my other experiences with teaching, I learned the easiest and most efficient way for a student to keep from over doing his or her strokes; I fastened these straps to their wrists to stop them. You see?" Wes demonstrated as he put each strap on and took the pose as if he was playing his own violin.

"Oh, I see," Maka watched as the straps did their job. Each movement was beautiful and flawless. He stopped exactly a second before the strap would tighten around his perfect wrist. His right hand was held up and out, as if he was holding his violin in it. His left hand was just the right length away from his face, giving the strap perfect slack.

"So are you ready to try?" Wes finally stopped his demonstration and took the straps off of his wrists one by one.

"Oh, yes." Maka snapped out of her trance and gently placed the black violin case on the little tea table before walking over to where Wes had stood. "Do I stand here?"

"Yes, perfect. Here, give me your hand," Wes instructed as he held out his right hand to her.

Maka hesitated; staring at the man's single hand with her heart beat pounding in her ears. She slowly gave up her right hand and placed it in Wes' warm one. He carefully took it and slipped it inside the hole of the strap. As soon as the leather tightened against Maka's small wrist, her heart rate jumped. She could feel the fluttering in her stomach from her rapidly beating heart. When he was done with that one he opened his hand for the other. Maka slowly but willing gave up her left hand as well.

*This will help my pose…this will make me learn faster…* Maka told herself as she watched Wes fasten the strap to her left wrist.

"There all done. Not too tight, right?" Wes took a step back to study her.

"No, they're perfect." Maka rotated her hands and moved them around to make sure.

"Good, then let us begin," he said as he walked over to the violin case on the table and opened it. "Now, at first these straps might be…a nuisance…but over time you'll fall in sync with them and won't need them." He pulled the violin and its bow out before making his way back to Maka. "You won't need them because your mind almost makes up its own straps." He handed the violin and bow to Maka as she listened.

"Yes, I see." Maka took the violin in her left and the bow in her right.

"Now, take the position that we went over last. Feet shoulder length apart, back and shoulders straight, chin in the chin rest," Wes instructed as he watched Maka following his every command. "Good, now then, let's start with the warm ups," the man walked away and returned with a music sheet holder with a book of "Violin for Beginners" opened to the warm up section.

"Ok," Maka took a deep breath before she started to play. The silence was cut by the forced notes that Maka made. Most were right but even to one without a sense of music could tell she was still a beginner at best.

"Ok, very good," Wes spoke after Maka had finished her warm up. "But your adding too much force. Just let it flow, remember the straps are there to guide you."

"Hai," Maka took the advice and continued to the next exercise. This time it sounded more fluid and clear. Although the straps did cause a hindrance to her, she knew it was only going to help her in the long run.

"Very good Maka-kun." Wes smiled as he placed his hand in her shoulder, causing the girl to jump at his touch once again. "What's wrong?"

"Oh! Um…nothing! I'm sorry Wes-shihan." Maka stuttered with nervousness.

"Does my presence make you nervous?" Wes inched his face closer to hers, earning Maka's retreat from him.

"N-No, it's more of…intimidation…I guess…" she quietly admitted as she was stopped from retreating any further by the straps.

"Intimidation? That's very flattering but in violin you cannot be intimidated or be fearful of your listeners," his voice turned serious. "You cannot allow such a thing to happen, because the violin is viewed as something flawless. And it is up to us, the musicians, to create such a false idol to those who listen. In reality, there is no such thing as perfection, only bus/b…" Wes let out as he stared into Maka's widened eyes.

"Y-Yes…I see…" she whispered, not daring to release her full breath with him so close.

"So, let us get rid of that fear and intimidation, shall we?" Wes smiled. "Go ahead and begin the first song please." The man instructed as he walked away toward the door.

"Ah, where are you going Shihan?" Maka straightened herself and finally released her breath.

"No need to worry, just play." He replied without looking behind him as he continued to walk out of the room.

Maka was lost but she didn't question him further. She resumed her position and began to play the song. Her mind was cleared and soon her hand was moving of its own free will, swiftly but carefully stroking each note correctly. The straps were barely even noticeable to her now. Every time she would make a mistake, she would start all over again to prove to Wes that she was a fast learner. She was in the middle of the song when she felt two hands slowly wrapping themselves around her waist, causing her to scream and stop her playing with a jump.

sub"Shhh…keep playing…"/sub a voice came from behind her against her right ear.

"W-Wes…shihan…?" Maka muttered as her heart continued to race with the warmth of his touch.

sub"Jus keep playing…in violin, you must learn to play through any and all distractions…to have an unmoving concentration…keep…playing…"/sub he whispered so close, Maka could feel his lips brush against the sensitive skin of her ear.

"B-But…shihan…I-I…"

**"Play Maka Albarn."** His voice became more forceful.

Maka's eyes widened with the sound of his voice. She could feel her heart beating in her head, her breathing was uneven, and she could feel her hands shaking. But despise all of that, Maka couldn't help but ignore it. And so, she lifted her violin and bow, and started the song over.

"You did very good today Maka-kun. I'm impressed by your concentration. You are a very good learner." Wes complemented as he walked Maka out towards the front door.

"I-I've been told that a couple of times…" Maka admitted in a small voice.

"Oh, and, I must apologize for earlier…I know it was very forward of me to have done such a thing…" Wes stopped before they reached the front door. "I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea…I thought that since you have a problem with me being so close, I thought I might just get it out of the way by doing such a thing. But I'm terribly sorry if you felt uncomfortable in any way…"

"Oh, no…I-It was fine." Maka looked down at her feet, afraid to show her bright red face. "I-I mean…you're right, I do have to get over my uneasiness of being around you. And I must say, it did help. I never thought such a thing would actually work." Maka finally looked up at the man and smiled.

"I understand, but I still can't help but feel horrible for it…" he ruffled his hair, making the white strands dance in his hand.

"No, don't be, I should be thanking you for helping me get rid of this nervousness."

Wes laughed a handsome laugh, "You're welcome, I suppose? I'm happy and relieved to hear that…"

Maka smiled but it slowly faded as she studied the glasses on his face. "Wes-shihan?"

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Only if I can ask you a question as well."

Maka was taken aback by his request but happily agreed. "Why do you wear sunglasses?"

"Oh, these? No reason, just that sometimes the light bothers me. But other than that, I don't wear them for any other reason." Wes reached up and fixed his glasses.

"Oh I see. So what is it that you wanted to ask me?" Maka continued to look at Wes' glasses.

"It's more of like a request for a demonstration." He corrected, earning a raised eyebrow from the young girl. "I would like to see if my method proved to be effective." He looked down at her with a smile.

"What do you mean…?" Maka was lost and confused as to what the man was trying to say.

"What I mean is I would like for you to show me something that would be evidence that my method was effective. Show me that you are no longer afraid or intimidated by my presence." Wes smiled wide.

"Huh?" Maka's mouth fell open. "B-But how? What can I do to show you?" she asked with her eyes wide.

"Be creative. Have a mind of your own. I will accept anything." Wes just stood there in front of her with a smug smile and his hands folded neatly behind his back, waiting.

Maka's mind began to reel. She had no idea of what she could do to prove that she was cured. The young girl looked down at her feet but was thinking hard as to what she could do to prove her point.

"I'm waiting Miss Albarn."

Maka could hear the fun in his voice. It made her brows come together in determination. I'll show him, she thought as she raised her head to look at him. She slowly raised her hands up to his perfect face and just as slowly, she began to slip off his sunglasses to reveal his eyes. The black glasses revealed a pair of dark blue eyes and just as she thought, they were perfect and left her breathless.

Wes looked down into her eyes and watched her expressionless face. One moment she was looking upset and determined but after one look at his eyes her expression melted into something close to calm and peacefulness. "…I can see that my method really did work." He finally broke the silence with a smile.

Maka continued to look in his deep pools with the same expressionless face. What was it about this man that drew her in so, she wondered. It almost seemed so familiar yet so foreign. It's not enough, she thought, I need to show him how well his method worked. And before she knew it, she was on her tippy toes, closing the distance between **student** and **teacher**.

**~*~**  
**Hey, sorry it's taken me a while to update with another chapter, so I gave ya'll, what?, like 4 chapters to make up for it. Lol Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next chapter(s) in about a week or so. ^^ ~MiZuInK**


	9. Idiot

**A/N**

**Sorry about uploading the same chapters ^^; this is the actual chapter ~Mizu**

"Ugh, I don't like this…Why is she taking so long?" Soul was pacing back and forth in his room, looking over at his clock that read 9:30pm. He was worried about Maka; she was never this late before. The latest she had ever been late was 9 but never later. She had promised him she'd be coming earlier which made him grit his teeth in anger. "Gah, I can't wait anymore!" he growled as he ripped opened the door and ran straight into Blair.

"Oh! Soul-kun," the purple haired woman recoiled. "I came to see what was wrong." Her mouth formed a worried frown.

"Nuthin's wrong. I'll be back," Soul quickly walked around Blair and grabbed his jacket off the coat rack.

"I know this has something to do with Maka-chan."

Soul stopped in mid-step. His hand was already on the handle but he couldn't find the will to turn it just yet. "…Yeah…it is…" he breathed out, sounding depressed and with no hope left.

"You shouldn't be so upset about these things. She's a young woman who can make her own decisions in life. We just have to trust she makes the right ones."

Soul didn't move or made an effort to turn to face the woman. "Mmm," he muttered with a slight nod before opening the door and walking out.

Maka slowly made her way down the dark streets with a light step. A smile pledged her face as she walked and she couldn't stop. Or was it that she didn't want to? Her thoughts were so hazy and light that it was such a foreign thing that it excited her so. She felt so weightless; how could one man do this to her, she thought with a laugh.

Her own laughter scared her from the sudden silence that followed her echoing laugh. She looked around nervously to make sure no one was watching or noticed before chuckling to herself embarrassingly. "I have to calm down," she smiled but knew she didn't mean it. She didn't want this feeling to end. Nothing could bring her down from this high; Wes' high. Nothing could possibly…

"Maka!"

The girl jumped out of her skin as the sound of her name broke her thoughts. She looked over towards where the voice came from and found an upset, white haired boy standing there. "Soul…What are you doing out here?" she asked, trying to calm her racing heart.

"What are YOU doing out here this late?" Soul's brows came together in anger. "You said you were going to come back early and yet, you're coming back later than ever. Why is that?" he walked towards her with his fists hidden in his jacket pockets.

"You know where I was Soul. Don't act so high and mighty because you have no say in how late I come home. I need to take this extra credit for the mistake WE made, remember?" Maka's voice began to get louder with her growing anger.

"So what? Big deal! Why can't you just tell Shinigami-sama that you can't do this- -?"

"Shut up Soul! I can do this!" Maka cut him off with her yell. "Mind your own business!"

"You ARE my business, Maka!" his voice rang out with cold silence following.

Maka couldn't look at the boy any longer. Her radiating anger wouldn't allow such a thing. "…We shouldn't talk about this out here…everyone in the city is asleep…" Maka finally muttered.

"I know…c'mon." Soul grabbed Maka's hand, catching her off guard, and began to lead her back home without a single word spoken between the two.

"I don't know why you have to be on me about my time, Soul. I don't have a curfew," Maka angrily started the conversation up again once the two were in the comfort and privacy of their kitchen.

"That's not the point. I just don't think you should be out this late, what with all the new reports of Kishin." Soul explained, trying to keep his cool.

"When will you learn that I can take care of myself? I was doing fine even before I met you Soul. Don't you remember that my papa was too busy with other women than watching me?" she put her finger in his face angrily, "I've been taking care of myself all this time, so don't be telling me that I'm useless without you," Maka placed her hand flat against her chest in anger.

"I didn't say that Maka! Stop twisting my words around! I know you can take care of yourself!" Soul yelled back, frustration getting the better of him.

"What's wrong?" a worried Blair came out from the living room with her ears lowered in fear. "Why are you two yelling?"

"Nuthin' Blair," Soul calmly reassured the cat as he took a calming breath.

"I don't have time for this anymore, I'm going to my room," Maka grunted before making her way towards her room.

"Yeah, if you didn't spend so much time with that guy I bet you'd have much more time…"

"What did you say?" Maka instantly stopped and turned to face Soul once more.

"You heard me," he crossed his arms.

The girl's brows came together in rising anger, "How dare you say that? Shihan-sama was kind enough to teach me and at no cost what so ever to help me with school and here you are telling me to stop my lessons. Just because I'm not spending time with you anymore, how selfish of you. Why don't you spend time with Blair, she at least has all the time in the world for you, Soul!" Maka seethed as she glared at him before running off to her room.

"What's wrong with her Soul?" Blair quietly asked, worried and scared.

"I don't know…she's been getting worse and worse ever since she started seeing that guy…" Soul's eyes narrowed in anger.

Blair studied him silently. "She's in love."

Soul's eyes widened before he quickly looked over at her, "What did you say?"

"Maka-chan's in love. That's why she's like this," Blair exhaled as she looked at Maka's door.

"In love? Maka?" Soul began to laugh, "Please! The only things that girl loves are her books!" Soul laughed but could feel his heart skip a beat with the sudden thought. "Besides, the guy's gotta be like 40. There's no way," he reassured himself with a grin.

"Mmm? Soul-kun, are you jealous?" Blair's eyebrow rose.

"Wh-What?" his eyes widened as his face flushed. "Yeah right Blair! Me, jealous of an old fart? Pfff, don't make me laugh," he nervously corrected but knew he was lying to both of them. "I'm going to bed."

"Oh, ok then, good night."

"Good night," he returned as he opened the door and stepped into his dark, comforting room. He let out a sigh after hearing the click of his door closing behind him. He leaned his back against the cold door and brought his hands up to study them in the dark. Even in the darkness he could see they were shaking with fear. He clenched them to make them stop. "Why do I have to be such an idiot…? Why did I have to say those things to her…?" he asked as a single tear ran down his face and fell onto his quivering hand.


	10. Niisan

Maka woke early in the morning with a waking sun in her eyes. She instinctively turned away, shutting her eyes defensively as she pulled the covers over her head. It was too early for her to be awake or woken up for a Saturday.

Her eyes were a bit swollen from crying last night. Soul could easily get under her skin with his words and how he tries to control her. At first it made her heart race with the thought of him caring for her more than just a weapon. But lately, she's felt suffocated by his protectiveness to the point she can't stand to look at him from last night.

She opened her eyes and pulled the cover off before she sat up in her small bed. The young girl studied the wrinkles in the covers; tracing every line and curve with her eyes until she became lost. Her head turned to the clock on her wall that read 8:17 a.m. Yup, it's early, she thought. But it also meant it was too early for either Soul or Blair to be up.

A small smile crept on her face and she was out of her bed in a flash. It was a good thing that Maka's room had its own bathroom; Soul had given it up to her so she could do her 'mysterious' girl things without him knocking on the door. The girl quickly and quietly brushed her teeth and washed her face. She studied her face in the mirror and when she didn't find anything out of place, she continued to her hair.

After brushing out a few knots, Maka left her bathroom and moved back into her room to pull out an outfit from her dresser. After much consideration, she decided on a black t-shirt with white wings printed on the back, a crimson hoodie sweater vest, her plaid skirt, and a pair of her knee high boots. She checked herself in the mirror and with a smirk she went out the door.

The sun was in the sky with his laughing grin spread across his drooling face. Maka walked down a busy street and was greeted with many smiling faces. It was funny how different the city looked from day to night. Every store was open and full of business with the sound of laughter and conversation. Maka made her way down the street as she looked at every stand with awe. She had almost forgotten how many different and exciting things were sold in her own city.

The young girl was so lost in her window shopping that she didn't noticed the man standing beside her.

"Oh, I'm sor-! Ah, Sh-Shihan?" Maka looked up to find the white haired instructor smiling down at her with his sunglasses hiding his eyes.

"Oh, Maka-kun. What a coincidence. What are you doing up so early this fine Saturday morning?" Wes smiled which could out shine the sun himself.

"I'm not doing anything in particular. Just wanted to get out of the house before Soul could wake up," Maka's eyebrows came together in anger.

"That's no good," Wes placed his index finger in between Maka's eyebrows, making them part away from each other instantly. "If you do that, you'll get wrinkles," the man chuckled.

Maka could only stand there feeling the warmth from her instructor's finger. She could feel her cheeks slowly beginning to flush from his touch.

"What did that boy do to you?" he finally lowered his finger.

"U-Uh…It's a long story…" Maka looked away after snapping out of her trance.

"Well, I'm a good listener and I have all the time in the world." Wes bent over to Maka's eye level and smiled in her face.

"B-But I'm sure you were shopping! …I don't want to get in your way…"

"Nonsense! I already finished with my shopping. Isn't that right Mr. Napa?" Wes smiled back at his servant who was waiting by a black car.

"Hai, Wesu-sama. Shall I drive back home and prepare lunch then?" the older man asked with a bow.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." He agreed as Mr. Napa climbed into the car and drove off. "See? I have time for you Maka-kun."

She smiled, "Thank you."

"Where would you like to go? The park is nearby," Wes suggested.

"I'd like that…"

"So, you're saying Soul is acting controlling?" Wes finally came to a conclusion after hearing Maka's problems as they sat on a bench in the park.

"Yeah, it's getting really annoying…I don't know why he acts that way though…" Maka began to frown at the unknown thought.

"Perhaps…he's jealous."

Maka's eyes widened, "Wh-What? Jealous of what?" her heart began to race as her face turned red.

"Of us."

Maka watched as Wes slowly turned his head to look at her. Suddenly, all sound around her seemed to stop; only the beating of her heart was loud in her ears.

Wes suddenly poked Maka's forehead, causing her to sway back and forth before snapping back to reality. "But who are we to kid? There isn't anything for him to be jealous of, right?" the man laughed slightly.

"…R-Right…" Maka muttered before looking down at her boots.

"It seems he likes you more than just a friend Maka Albarn." He looked down at her behind his sunglasses. "Try not to let it get to you. This is his way of showing he cares."

Maka listened to the man's words. "But…what if I…love someone else…?" she slowly looked up at him with quivering eyes.

Wes stared back at her. "That's for you to figure out. When it comes to the matters of the heart, you can listen to others' advice, but in the end, you still have to make the choice yourself." Maka looked down at her hands in defeat. Just then, Wes' hand covered both of her tiny ones, causing Maka to quickly look back at the man and found him leaning in close. "I'm sure who ever you love, shares the same feelings…" he whispered to her with a smile.

Maka's breath caught in her throat.

"Oh, Maka-kun, did you want to know a couple of interesting things about the violin? I forgot to tell you the last time we had practice." Wes quickly changed the subject as he pulled away.

"U-U-Uh…s-sure…" the girl uttered nervously; trying hard to calm her racing heart.

"Did you know that the word 'violin' came from the Latin word 'vitula'? It means 'string instrument'."

The young girl shook her head.

"It also got most of its modern characteristics in the 16th century in Italy. Oh, if only I could have lived in those times…" Wes stared off into the clear blue sky.

"16th century? I didn't think it was **that** old…" Maka commented.

"Oh, but it is! It's older. Back in those days, they made the strings out of different materials than what yours is made of."

"Really? What did they make it out of?"

"Gut."

"Gut?"

"Yes, gut."

"…You can't possibly mean…human…guts…could you?" Maka fearfully asked, feeling a wave of disgust rising.

Wes laughed. "Of course not! 'Gut' refers to sheep gut that was stretched to be used as the strings."

"S-Sheep?" Maka's eyes widened.

"Yes, and the bow you play with- -"

"Oh, no…"

"- -Made from horse hair." Wes finished with a smile.

"Oh thank Shinigami-sama…" she exhaled in relief. "Please tell me they still don't string it with…gut…"

"No, not many are made that way anymore…"

"You mean…they still…do…?" Maka felt ill.

"Oh and by the way, I need to take your violin to a luthier so that he may add the fourth string that it's missing. I can have Napa pick it up from your apartment."

"Oh, sure. Do you need my address?"

"Yes, please."

Maka searched her vest for any paper or pen she could write with but to no avail.

"Here, use this to write on my hand," Wes made a pen appear from nowhere and handed it to the girl.

"Oh…are you sure?" she took the pen as she studied Wes' facial expression.

"No, I don't mind. Go ahead."

With permission, Maka began to write down her address.

"Soul-kun~" Blair's voice rand out. "Soul-kun, wake up!" the cat slid her body up a sleeping Soul before he woke up screaming.

"Gah! Get off of me!" he pushed Blair off. "What do you want? It's Saturday…" he grumbled, laying back in bed and pulling the blankets over his head.

"I just wanted to tell you Maka-chan is gone!" Blair huffed; upset to be ignored.

"Huh? What do you mean she's gone?" Soul instantly got out of bed and out his room.

"Just like I said, she's not here." Blair followed the boy into an empty Maka's room.

"When did you find out?" Soul asked, looking around her bed room for a note.

"About…5 minutes ago."

Soul looked at the clock and read 9:36 a.m. "It doesn't make sense, she should still be asleep…" the white haired boy looked under her bed and found her shoes. Her regular boots were there but her knee high boots were gone; meaning she was dressed up. "Crap, where could she be?" he slammed his hand on her bed.

"She didn't leave a note…" Blair's ears lowered in sadness.

"Ugh! I gotta find her," he decided as he left the room and back into his room.

"Ah, but where will you look?" Blair asked from behind his closed door.

"Everywhere," he answered after opening the door to reveal he had changed into his black and yellow jacket and crimson jeans. He walked passed Blair again and made his way to the bathroom.

"Shouldn't we just wait for her here? I'm sure she'll come back sooner or later…" Blair muttered behind the door as Soul took care of his hygiene.

"I can't wait for her. It feels weird for me. I…" Soul paused at the door, "…I'm her weapon…I can't sit still without her by my side…" he finished before walking out.

"Shihan, what time is it?"

"Mmm…9:30."

"Oh, wow. I better be going." Maka stood up.

"Got somewhere to be?" Wes asked.

"Well…no…I just…feel kind of bad for leaving without a word…" she looked down at the grass underneath her feet.

"I understand; I'm happy to have spent time with you, Maka-chan…"

"What did you- -?"

But before Maka could turn to face Wes and ask her question, the white haired man leaned in and kissed her. His lips were gentle yet hungry for so much more. He placed his hands on each of her cheeks; not wanting to let go. Maka felt her heart stop and her head spin. She let out a small moan when he finally pulled away.

"Have a good day, Maka-chan." He smiled as he walked away, leaving a frozen Maka standing in the middle of the park with the taste of desire on her lips.

"Where is she?" Soul continued to walk fast down the busy street; looking everywhere for his light brown haired meister. He couldn't find her at any of the shops or the restaurants close by. He finally decided to ask if anyone had seen her, "Oi, have you seen a light brown haired girl about this tall?" he asked an older man who ran a fruit stand.

"Eh? Oh, well, I saw a girl with light brown hair; she was wearing a skirt and black boots."

iMaka/i, he thought, "Did you see where she went?"

"Well…she and a man went towards the park…or at least that's what I thought I heard them say that's where they were going…"

"Man? What man?" Soul's heart beat picked up.

"He was a tall slender fellow. But he had the same white hair you do…" the man pointed at the boy's hair.

_No…_ "What color were his eyes?" Soul snapped.

"I-I couldn't say…he was wearing sunglasses…"

"How long ago did you see them leave?"

"Um…about 45 minutes ago…" the man answered nervously.

"Shit!" Soul ran off towards the park at full speed. _Please…Please don't let it be **him**_, he screamed in his head as he ran past people.

He finally stopped running when he was in the middle of the park. He turned in every direction and looked at every single person but couldn't find Maka anywhere. _Where…Where could she- -_

"Hello, Soul…"

Soul turned slowly to face the man he never wanted to see ever again in his life.

"…**Wes-niisan**…"


	11. Liar

"Well, good morning little brother. I didn't think I would ever run into you this early; much less on a Saturday morning."

Soul glared silently at the older man. He hated how smooth those casual suits made his brother look; like a wolf in sheep's clothing. It made the most innocent of women fall helplessly in love. With that dazzling smile, those crimson eyes he loved to hide behind his designer brand sunglasses, and the angelic voice he used to weave his lies. Soul knew every single one of his lies because he witnessed the power of his hallow words; beautiful to the ears of those who want to hear it, and how easily a woman could fall to her knees or beg her life for a moment in his presence.

"What are you doing here?" Soul asked each word with hate dripping from its end.

"Is it a crime to enjoy such a beautiful morning in the park?" Wes asked, ignoring Soul's hostile glare.

"No, but being with Maka is!" the young boy growled, fists balled.

Wes blinked behind his glasses, "Maka?" a perfectly shaped eyebrow rose.

"Don't act stupid with me! I'm not one of your 'easy women'! And neither is Maka!"

"Shut your mouth Soul." Wes firmly ordered, earning a shocked look from his younger brother. "I don't know how you can accuse me so quickly even though you know nothing of the circumstances."

"I don't need to know shit to see shit!" Soul quickly countered, not letting his brother's words affect him.

"Of course, you're still such a stubborn child…as always." Wes muttered.

Soul flinched, "Fuck you! This isn't about me! Don't try to change the subject!"

"No, it's not changing the subject when it's the main topic of discussion."

"What the hell are you talkin' about? This has nothing to do with me! You're the one who is going after my meister, an under aged girl who you haven't known for even a month and you're already leading her on- -!"

Wes grabbed Soul's head and pulled him into his chest; giving him a painful, yet innocent looking, embrace.

"You better watch your mouth boy," Wes growled deep, sharp teeth close to Soul's ear. "Mother taught you better than to have a sibling discussion out in the open. Especially with so many near us," he hissed, keeping a firm hold on his brother as he tried hard to break away. "Now, you **will** respect me and others and you **will** keep your voice down. Or this conversation is over. Do you understand?" Wes slipped his hand in Soul's snow white hair to grab a fist full of it before pulling his head back so they were face to face.

Soul had no choice but to bite his tongue. He never wanted anyone to know his background for this exact reason. Anyone would kill to have the life of luxury, but not Soul. He would kill to get away from it. That's why when he met Maka on that day, he knew it was his only ticket out of that past. Away from his strict and heartless father, his controlling mother, but most of all, away from his egotistical brother, who only wanted Soul around so people could compare the two and see how great Wes was. He hated being looked down on. Being known as nothing more than "Wes Evans' younger brother". That's why he vowed to make something of himself. Something more than the title 'Wes' brother'.

But he was still there, living in Wes' shadow. He could feel its darkness suffocating him just like Wes' embrace around his body. "…Y-Yes…Nii-san. I understand." He answered with no emotion or struggle.

"Good! For a minute there I was beginning to think I was going to need to threaten you." The man released Soul with a warm smile.

"You can't threaten me Wes. I'm not afraid of you." Soul was telling the truth. There was nothing that Wes could do to him that could possibly…unless… "You better not hurt her!" Soul's eyes widened.

"Mmm? Hurt who?"

"I swear, Nii-san, you better think twice before you cross her…"

"I don't know who 'she' is."

"Maka Albarn."

Wes tilted his head a bit to the side as he thought to himself. "Is she the girl with brown hair and has it in pig tails?"

"Yes," Soul growled, losing his patience with his brother's sick game.

"Ah yes, Maka-chan."

"**Don't call her that.**"

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because, you don't even know her!" he screamed, anger getting the better of him.

"Oh, but I do. Like for example: I know she blushes such a beautiful deep shade of red when I'm only inches away from her face. I bet you didn't know that."

"You fuckin'- -!"

"You better watch what you say, Brother, I'd hate to walk away from this and have your life ruined by the girl you love." Wes cut him off.

"And what the fuck does that mean?"

"Oh, come now, I can hear it in your voice and see it in your eyes. You love Maka Albarn. Isn't that right, little brother?" Wes smiled wickedly.

"No! I don't love her. The relationship she and I have ain't nothing more than weapon and meister. So leave her alone!" Soul's heart skipped a beat. He knew what was going on now. He knew what game Wes was playing. He was playing the sickest one of them all. The one where he makes the girl Soul was in love with fall in love with himself.

"Oh? Is that so?" Wes' eyebrows rose. "Well, I was sadly mistaken then."

Soul gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he kept his eyes tightly closed. His heart ached from the lies that left his mouth.

"Well, I guess I was wrong then." Wes looked away with a smile. "Oh well, she's too much of a woman for you anyways. But I wonder if I should keep teaching her. I mean if you hate her THAT much…"

"No, don't stop teaching her. She needs this to be caught up. She blames herself for everything that happened…even though it was more my fault then hers…I should have known better." Soul growled at himself.

"Mmm, I see. So because you messed up, she had to pay the price for being a meister. Hmm…interesting…"

Soul looked up at his brother.

"So, let us make a deal. As long as you keep our little meeting and that we are brothers a secret, I will keep teaching Maka-chan."

"Don't call her that." Soul looked down, feeling defeated.

"I make all of the rules here Soul-kun. You just have to abide by them. Don't worry, I won't force myself on her Soul; I'm a gentleman. But understand this, if she chooses to make the relationship more than what it is, I will not refuse it."

"You can't do that Wes! She doesn't know any better!"

"Oh please Soul, how stupid do you take her for? She maybe young in age, but she is far more mature than any girl her age. Even you for that matter. And trust me Soul, she shares many things with me, so don't try anything. Let me do what I do best, and you continue to be her **sword and shield**. Understand?"

Soul lowered his head until his bangs covered his eyes. "…Yes…understood…"

"Good, well I must be going. We can't have too many people see me now can we? It was nice seeing you Soul. I'll tell Mother you say hello. Until next time, sayonara." Wes walked away.

"…yeah..."


	12. Clear Minded

"Ohayougozaimasu," an elderly woman greeted Maka as she walked past the young girl.

"Ohayou!" Maka happily replied with a smile as she continued to walk through the city towards her apartment. Her mind was racing with many thoughts. The biggest was her thoughts of Wes and how he easily made her feel like nothing else mattered. Her heart was still pounding from what he had done to her earlier. He had kissed her in broad daylight, in the middle of the park, where everyone could see a 20 something year old man kiss a young 16 year old girl. But she didn't lie, she loved it. The sensation of a man's lips against her own, his hands pulling her face to deepen the kiss, but most of all, the fact that it was wrong excited her.

Her life before meeting Wes was one of normal proportions. She would wake up, cook for the two, beat the crap out of Soul for being with Blair, go to school, come home, eat, finish homework, take a shower, then went to bed. And it started up again the next day and the day after that; never changing. Wes had turned something on inside of Maka and she loved it. But if it made her feel so good, why did it hurt to see Soul? She could never understand the reason behind it but she didn't want to ruin the fun and excitement she felt.

It was 5 minutes till 10, so Maka knew it was still too early for Soul to be up and about. It was for this exact reason why she quietly unlocked the door and slipped inside the warm house. She quietly made her way towards her room after slowly hanging up her keys back where they belonged. Maka finally let out a sigh of relief after her door clicked shut. She had made it without anyone catching her.

*Knock, Knock*

Maka jumped at the sudden knock on the door. "W-Who is it?"

"It's me…" Soul's voice was muffled behind the door.

_Well, so much for not being caught…_, she thought as she slowly opened the door to find a sleepy Soul in his sleep ware and messy hair. She couldn't help but blush at the sight of his natural self that no one else can see but her own two eyes. Well, that and those of Blair's, unfortunately. "W-What is it Soul?" she tried to whisper as if she had just woken up, hiding her body behind the door,

Soul blinked before lowering his head with a disappointed look on his face. "Did…Did you go out, Maka?" his voice was just as low as his eyes.

Maka's heart skipped a beat as adrenaline spiked through her veins, filling her body with swarming butterflies. "O-Oh…y-yea. Did I wake you? I'm sorry," she chuckled nervously.

"It's ok, don't worry 'bout it. Where…did you go?" he carefully asked, trying hard not to scream at her for meeting his brother and for having Wes as an instructor. He had to tighten his jaw to keep from clenching his fists in hopeless frustration.

"Oh, well, I went out to…for a walk. Yes, a walk." She smiled, relieved that she thought up a quick excuse.

_Liar_. "Oh, why so early? It's Saturday…"

"…I just…needed to clear my head…" Maka looked down. It was the truth, she had woken up feeling like crap and she didn't want to see Soul for fear that she would go off on him. Her weapon didn't deserve that, he only wanted the best for her. It was only right that she treat him with respect, trust, AND loyalty. "Eh, Soul…"

The boy's head snapped up at the sound of his name, "Yeah…?"

Maka was studying the boy's feet. She couldn't understand why he never liked to wear his socks inside the house. As soon as he got home, it was off with the shoes and socks. But Maka didn't mind, she liked that he was so comfortable around her. "I…wanted to apologize for…yesterday…" the girl met Soul's crimson orbs because she knew an apology wasn't worth anything if you couldn't look the person in the eyes.

Soul's eyes widened a bit at her apology. Was she really apologizing to him? It was so out of the ordinary for Maka Albarn. She was so stubborn and head strong but that was the exact reason why he loved her so. She was so strong he knew she could kick ass on her own if she really wanted to. "…Heh…don't mention it…I was out of line too I guess…" he scratched his head. "I'm sorry too…I didn't mean to hurt you. I just…worry about you ok?" he gave her a sheepish look mixed with embarrassment. "And…you know I'm always here to listen to you if you ever need an ear…"

Maka smiled, "Yeah, I know," she opened the door and quickly hugged him; "You know I care about you too, right?"

Soul was caught off guard. He was frozen in place but quickly regained consciousness and hugged his meister. He got a shiver from the cold that lightly layered her frame from the outside world. It let him know that that exact moment in time in space was real. "Yeah, I know…"

* * *

"I'm comin'! Jeez," Soul called out as he made his way towards the front door. He was enjoying sitting on the couch watching anime with Maka sitting next to him reading her new book when a knock on the door pulled him away from the happy moment. _I should kill whoever it is_, Soul thought sourly as he reached the door and opened it to find a blue haired boy smiling wide at him.

"Neh, Neh! Took you long enough man! Watcha doin' with Miss Bookworm? Trying to do a **Physical Resonance**?" the boy laughed loud.

"Shut up Black*," Soul punched the boy on the head, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Black*! I told you not to be so crude," an older woman came up the stairs and tried to calm the boy down.

"Hey Tsubaki," Soul greeted lazily as Black* began to curse at him.

"Who is it Soul?" Maka came to the door, curious about the loud noise.

"It's just Black* and Tsubaki," Soul answered with an unimpressed look on his face.

"Neh, **'just Black***'? No, you normal and weak people should be grateful for my God-like presence!" he screamed before he broke out in a hysterical laugh.

"Black*, please calm down," Tsubaki tried to quiet down her meister. "Good afternoon, sorry to interrupt your Saturday."

"No, not at all. What is it?" Maka got closer to Soul that he could smell the fragrance of her shampoo.

"Come with us! We're going over to Kiddo's house to hang! C'mon Soul! He has an arcade room!" Black* clenched his fists in eagerness.

Soul sighed, "Well, what do ya think, Maka? Wanna go?" he casually asked as he looked down at the girl, trying hard not to look at her breasts.

"Mmm…" Maka began to think.

_I need to take your violin to a luthier so that he may add the fourth string that it's missing. I can have Napa pick it up from your apartment._

Wes' voice echoed in her mind. "Oh, no. I'll stay home. I still have homework to finish."

"Are you sure? You can always finish it when we get back," Soul asked with a sad look.

"Ah, just leave the book worm Soul. She'll just dull everything up."

**BAM!**

"Oh, really?" Maka slammed her hard cover book on the laughing boy's head, silencing him instantly.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he cried as he held his head.

"Black*, don't say such things. You should come with us, Maka-chan. There will be food and both Liz & Patty will be there." Tsubaki tried to convince the young girl.

"That sounds like fun, but really, I should stay. I'll be sure to head over once I'm done ok?" she gave them a smile.

"Well then, I'll wait for you." Soul added.

"No, it's ok. Just go with them, I'll go once I'm done, I promise, ok?" Maka promised.

Soul studied Maka's eyes for a moment before giving up with a sigh, "Fine, let me get ready." He let out, disappearing back into the house.

"Would you guys like something to drink real quick?" Maka offered.

"Oh, no thank you. Death the Kid and Liz & Patty are waiting for us down at the bottom of the stairs." Tsubaki answered.

"Yeah, I'm going to tell 'em that the book worm kept us," Black* insulted with a smile as he ran down the stairs laughing.

"I'm sorry about him, I'm trying to get him to stop," Tsubaki apologized, embarrassed.

"No, don't be. You must have the patience of a saint. I don't know how you can put up with him," Maka laughed.

"I ask myself that question too," she laughed jokingly.

"Ok, I'm ready," Soul interrupted the females' laughter, causing them both to look over at him.

Maka noticed he chose his black jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and his black shoes for his day out. "I see you found your hair band," Maka noted, looking at his black hair band.

"Yep, well, I'll see you when you get there. Be careful, don't work too hard," Soul said, tapping her head lightly with his fist, earning a smile from the meister.

"Yeah, have fun Soul."

"Mmm," and with that, the two parted down the middle.


	13. Spider Web

"Hey."

"Mm," Soul nodded back at the boy with black hair and 3 white stripes going horizontally on the left half of his hair.

"Where's Maka-kun?" Kidd asked.

"She's not comin'?" Liz asked, a concerned look on her face

"She's gonna stay back to finish some homework see has left undone," Soul sighed as he looked down at the ground below his feet.

"That's just like her," Liz sighed with a smile.

"Let's go! Forget Miss Bookworm!"

"Black*Star, please calm down," Tsubaki chimed in.

"Alright, let's go," Kidd agreed as he led the way towards his house with his rowdy and loud friends following behind him.

* * *

"Good…I didn't think they would leave…" Maka gave a sigh of relief after she closed the front door. She leaned against the door for a while and tilted her head back until it touched the cold wooden surface behind it. What was she thinking? She had already finished the majority of her homework before she had even left school. Now what? Was she going to wait for her instructor, who might not even show up, just so she can feel alive again?

"You're losing it," she chuckled to herself as she walked away from the door. She needed a well deserved shower, that's what she was going to do. She headed back into her room and began to gather her new clean clothes that she was going to wear for that day. She decided to wear her plaid skirt and a plain white shirt for her day out with her friends.

She quickly turned and headed towards her bathroom. The dark room came alive with a single flick of her hand to reveal a nice peach colored bathroom. Maka made her way toward the shower and turned the water on. It was cold to the touch but with given time it would turn warm and comforting. She began to undress herself and let her articles of clothing fall to the floor in a neat bundle on the floor beside her. She was just about to get in when her reflection caught her eye in the mirror.

She looked at the light brown haired girl with moss colored eyes and couldn't help but feel like she was staring at a total stranger. She looked down at her pale and clear skin. It was the few things that she liked about herself it seemed. The young girl studied every line and curve to the point and thought she could look so much better. For starters, she didn't have breasts like the rest of the girls her age. It was the main flaw that Soul loved throwing at her face. Would he actually love her more, if any, if she had breasts like Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, or Blair? She couldn't help but suppress a sob with a sad chuckle.

_Blair…_

Maka remembered the first time she and Soul met the cat who was like a witch in disguise. They had seen her in the middle of taking a bubble bath and it seemed like she didn't have a care in the world about the two teenage strangers staring at her naked skin and cleavage. It was Soul who got a nose bleed and fainted from the sight of the full grown woman. Maka pretended like it didn't bother her, but it did.

The young girl quickly closed her eyes tightly shut and turned away from her mocking reflection. If Soul really and truly loved or cared for her, he wouldn't **just** see her as 'Tiny Tits'.

* * *

"Because I practice, Black*Star."

"Liar!"

"This is ping pong, you really can't cheat," Kidd sighed as Patty laughed hysterically.

Soul was sitting on a black couch as he watched the two boys fight over who's right. He shifted the glass of soda in his hand, bored and worried. He wished he didn't leave Maka behind. It was killing him just being this far away from her and he knew it wasn't because of his desire as a weapon to protect her, but it was more for the comfort of being beside her.

"May I sit next to you, Soul-kun?"

"Eh? Oh, yeah. Go ahead," Soul's thoughts were interrupted by Tsubaki's gentle voice.

"Are you going to play next?" she asked with a smile as she sat down beside him.

"Na, I'm ok."

Tsubaki studied him for a while. "Soul-kun, may I ask you something?"

Soul suddenly turned his head to face her, "Huh? Um, sure."

"Is everything ok with you and Maka?" the older woman asked with worried eyes.

Soul's hand twitched. He couldn't help but look away from her worried eyes. Tsubaki was always quick to notice the smallest details that meant the biggest things. "…Why do you ask?" His eyes were shadowed by his show white bangs.

"I don't mean to pry…I just…" she paused a moment and swallowed, "I've noticed that she hasn't been herself…like something is different…but I can't put my finger on it…"

"A secret…"

Tsubaki snapped her head to look at the boy and found him staring off in front of him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it seems like she's keeping a secret from me…" Soul's hand was clenched into a fist, "She acts so different when she's at home…she gets upset over the smallest things now…"

"What do you think it is?" Tsubaki wondered, afraid for the worst. "You don't think it has anything to do with…" she dare not even think the name of the witch who caused so much destruction in Death City and brought Shibusen and Shinigami-sama to their knees.

"No, it has nothing to do with **her**; if it was I know Maka would tell Shinigami-sama right away. She's smarter than that…" Soul answered, relaxing his hand. He knew who Tsubaki was referring to even without having to hear the witch's name. "No, this is something else...I noticed she started acting different around the time that she began her lessons with that violin teacher…it has something to do with him…" Soul growled, staring at a grinning image of his older brother in his head.

"Violin instructor? Why do you say that?"

"Because I just know…I can see it in her eyes Tsubaki. She talks about him with these eyes…that I've never seen before…" Soul's voice was angry and shaky. His hands were formed into tight fists of anger and fear.

"I see…" Tsubaki gently answered. "Soul-kun, I now see what is the problem and I must say I'm relieved that it isn't as bad as I feared it was."

Soul snapped out of his trance and looked over at the woman, "What do you mean?" he asked after seeing the woman's gentle and warm smile.

"I know what's wrong with Maka-chan; she's in love."

Soul's eyes widened. "W-Why do you say that?"

"The way she is acting is like a girl with a crush. Women act differently, but it's basically all the same really. We do and say stupid things when we're in love…" she smiled as she watched Death the Kidd dodge Black*Star's playful punches.

_"…Don't say that…don't say she's in love…"_

"Huh? Why not? I can see that she is-"

"Because she isn't!" Soul hissed through gritted teeth. "Do you really think that she would fall in love with **Him**?" Soul's voice was full of anger and disgust.

"Why not? Is her instructor a bad man? Do you know him?"

Soul's eyes flinched.

_…let us make a deal. As long as you keep our little meeting and that we are brothers a secret, I will keep teaching Maka-chan…_

"…N-No…I don't know 'em…"

Tsubaki was confused but quickly realized what was wrong. "Oh, I see." She giggled.

"What?" Soul asked, upset at the situation.

"Soul-kun, do you love Maka-chan?"

"Wh-What?" Soul screamed, causing everyone to pause and look over at the two before they ignored them and continued running around. "D-Don't ask such stupid questions Tsubaki," Soul muttered, trying hard to hide his cheeks with his hand.

"Soul-kun, I am your friend. I am not here to spread your confession out to everyone. I only want to help my two good friends; from one adult to another." She smiled warmly as she gave him her word.

Soul couldn't look at the woman, "F-Fine…whatever."

Tsubaki laughed, "See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Now, the first step is to realize your feelings for her, if you can't do that, you might push her away and might not ever get her back. You might push her into the arms of the other man. Prove to her that you can and will always be there for her."

"But I already have. I tell her if she needed someone to talk to I'm here and that I would always be there for her. But it doesn't work…she keeps going back to him…" he admitted with a growl.

"Well, Soul-kun, you have to understand that she iis/i learning violin from him. Trust her and she will see it as an act of love. Believe me." Tsubaki smiled.

Soul sighed, feeling exhausted and hopeless, "I hope your right Tsubaki…"

* * *

Maka finally sat herself down to work on her homework after she had finished with her warm shower and changed into her fresh new clothes. She was working diligently before she tilted her chair back onto its hind legs.

The girl let out a sigh before continuing where she last left off. It wasn't hard but it also wasn't easy. Science wasn't her strongest point but she made it through with nothing lower than an A- because she actually paid attention and studied.

When she finally finished the last question she stood up and stretched, feeling refreshed. She was so excited that after deciding to put her shoes on she remembered something very important. _Wes-shihan_. He still hadn't come by to pick up her violin. Maybe he forgot? She looked at the time and realized it had only been an hour or so since Soul left. She decided she would stop by his house on her way to Kidd's house when there was a sudden knock on the door that made Maka jump. She quickly regained her composure and crossed the distance between her and the front door.

"Who is it?" she asked with a not-as-strong-as-she-wanted voice.

"Hello, it is Mr. Napa. I'm here to pick up the violin for Wesu-sama?"

Maka's heart calmed with the familiar muffled voice on the other side of the door. She quickly unlocked the door and found the older man standing there with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry for the uneasiness. I wasn't sure if it was you or someone else," Maka stumbled with her explanation.

"Not to worry Albarn-san. You have every right to be cautious," the man paid no mind to the young girl's carefulness.

"Please, come in while I run and get the violin," Maka opened the door for her guest. "And please, call me Maka."

"Thank you Maka-kun, but I best not enter. I wouldn't want to disturb your weapon or anyone else for that matter. Besides, Wesu-sama is waiting down stairs in the car. I wouldn't want to keep him waiting." He laughed.

"Oh well, there isn't any problem because there isn't anyone else here to bother," Maka chuckled. "Well, I'll go and get it then, I wouldn't want to keep you or Wes-shihan." She excused herself before running off to her room. She quickly scanned her room for the black case but to no avail. She looked on her desk, under her bed, in her closet, but the violin was nowhere. She thought for a moment and retraced her steps in her mind. The last time she had it was…on her bed.

Maka quickly got on her messy bed and began to fumble through the covers and blankets and finally found the black case with the violin sitting comfortably inside. A sudden knock on her a jar bedroom door made her snap in the direction to find a smiling Wes standing there.

"I hope you don't mind me entering, I was beginning to worry because I heard all the commotion from the front door. I wanted to make sure you were safe," he smiled apologetically.

"Oh, no! Don't worry, I'm fine! I'm sorry for making you wait! And please excuse the mess!" Maka nervously spoke before jumping off her bed and began to fix her blankets. "I left this morning and forgot to make my bed, this is embarrassing," she blushed as she nervously admitted. She was trying to fix her blankets when a hand was placed gently on hers. Maka looked up and found a tall Wes towering over her.

"Don't worry about that. I don't mind a messy bed…if anything it tells me about your personality…" Wes whispered in a husky voice.

Maka's face flushed a deeper red, "I bet its telling you that I'm messy and don't have responsibility-"

"No, it tells me you're artistic," Wes smiled as he turned her around to face him. Their bodies were only inches apart and yet Maka felt that he was right beside her. His presence made her room seem so much smaller than what it was.

Maka finally snapped out of her trance and got down to business, "Oh, here. Here's my violin. I'm sorry that it took so long to find it. I hope you don't think I usually miss place it on a regular basis." She chuckled nervously as she handed the violin case over to the man.

Wes took the object from her, "I wouldn't dare think such a thing," he whispered with a smile.

Maka couldn't help but stare at his perfect smile and lips that gently pressed against it. The memory of how his lips felt against hers was suddenly recalled; sending goose bumps throughout her entire body. She couldn't help but find her lips parting slightly as her feet began to move on their own towards their goal. She must have made her advances obvious because Wes didn't move a muscle as the young girl crept inches closer to his lips.

"I have no problem with this Maka."

Maka's trance was cut instantly by his words. She quickly backed away from and covered her mouth with her hands, blushing from what she almost did. "I-I'm so sorry. I-I don't know what- -"

"It's fine. Listen to me Maka, I'm not like other adults, I don't judge. I'm not your father, I'm not your mother, I'm not here to tell you how to live your life, and I'm definitely not here to scold you. I'm here to guide and teach you. True, this isn't what you asked of me to teach you, but I will not shy away from this topic for any reason. But understand that I do not want you to feel obliged to do things because you think you owe me or for fear of losing me as an instructor. Those are all false things that shouldn't go through your head at all, understand?" Wes reassured the girl as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I understand…" Maka answered, feeling a bit better. "But…I mean…isn't this…wrong?" Maka looked up at the man's dark blue orbs with her fearful and concerned ones.

"Let me ask you something, do you feel that it is wrong?"

Maka looked down, "Well…I know that it is wrong- -"

"That wasn't what I was asked you. I asked if you **feel** that it is wrong."

The young girl looked up at the man again, "…No…I mean…I'm not sure…" she began to fidget with her hands.

"Ok, tell me what it is that you feel. Come, sit down and tell me." Wes instructed as he sat down on Maka's bed with her following.

"Well…it's difficult to say…when I think about seeing you…my heart races, and I feel adrenaline run through my veins…Almost like when I fight. It gives me such a rush and I can never get the feeling out of my stomach, chest, and heart. It's so strange, I've never felt this way before. I…I love it so much," she admitted with an excited smile.

"See? That is what I'm talking about. Those feelings that you have, do they make you feel bad?"

"No! They make me feel- -"

"Alive?"

"Yes! Every time something like that happens, I can't help but feel so light and free. I love it!" Maka smiled wide with a laugh.

"So, why would you want to stop that feeling?"

Maka's laughter stopped. "…Well, isn't it wrong?"

Wes sighed, "Like I said Maka, I'm not here to judge you. This is your life. You make the decisions, just know that I will accept whatever decision you make. But I will just say this: If it is only you and I who know, and both you and I know that it makes us feel great, is it really wrong?"

Maka stared at the man for a long moment and thought to herself. "You're right…" she whispered to herself.

"Now, I don't want you to think that I'm forcing you to keep this secret just so we can continue this. By all means, you can walk away from this easily. I will continue to teach you, as if nothing has happened. Would you like that? To meet me again as if nothing has ever happened?" Wes suggested as he held out his hand to her to accept his proposal.

Maka stared at his open hand. She couldn't see herself going back to the way things were; living life on a regular basis schedule with nothing new. She hated that life; so much so, she dare not take his hand or his proposal. She didn't want to stop this feeling that kept her alive, even if it was wrong.

The brown haired girl pushed aside the man's hand and leaned in to capture his lips. She knew what she was doing was crazy and absurd but she wanted it more than anything. She craved his scent, his touch, his breath against her skin, but most of all, she missed the dark blue eyes that saw her than more than just a child. They saw past her flaws and faults and only saw her for who she really was.

Wes ran his hand slowly through her damp hair and stirred the fragrance of her shampoo. He couldn't help but pull her closer to his body with his other hand gently pulling on her hip. Like him, she had the desire to be close to him; to close the distance and become one. She didn't want to stop even though every inch of her body was screaming out for her to do so. It wasn't because it was wrong, it was from how fast things were progressing. She was scared; scared that things will go further than she was ready for mentally and physically.

Her heart skipped a beat when Wes slowly leaned forward until her back lay flat against her bed and he was on top of her. Maka's mind was telling her to stop his advances before things became even more serious but she knew she didn't want it to stop, no matter how much she feared what was to come. Without even her knowing, she had closed her eyes shut tight without understanding why.

"I told you, you don't have to force yourself to do things that you don't want to."

Maka's eyes snapped open when she realized Wes' lips were no longer pressed against hers or that he was no longer on top of her. She slowly sat up and placed her hands on her knees, embarrassed to look at him.

"What's wrong? Too fast?" Wes chuckled slightly.

Maka fidgeted, "N-No…" she muttered, still refusing to look at the man.

"Then what is it? Are you saying that you wished to continue? If so then why didn't you say so…?" Wes asked before he began to unbutton his shirt in front of her.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Maka asked, scared at what the man was doing.

"You seem disappointed at the fact that things didn't continue right? So I'm going to fulfill your wish," he smiled as he pulled his shirt off to reveal his perfect chest. Maka couldn't help but blush at his beauty before looking away. "What's wrong? Never seen a grown man's chest before?" he chuckled as he moved closer to Maka.

The girl jumped when she felt his warm bare skin against her body. His hand came up to her chin and turned her face towards him before he kissed her with more force. Maka felt scared and frozen in the moment. She stayed still when he pulled her into his arms before his hands began to run up and down her back; sending shivers down her spine. Her eyes widened when she felt his hands slip under her shirt and held her by her hips. In one quick motion he lifted Maka up and over him and sat her down on his groin so she was straddling him.

_W-Wait! I-I can't do this!,_ Maka screamed in her head as she felt his hands go up her back under her shirt and pull on her bra strap. iPlease…/i she thought to herself as she tightly closed her eyes.

"I think that should be enough." Wes' voice came again with amusement.

Maka's eyes opened slowly to find a smiling Wes in front of her. "Huh?"

"Maka, what did I just say? **Don't do things that you're not ready for!**" Wes tapped her on the forehead.

"Wh-What's going on?" she was so lost.

Wes laughed, "I was just trying to scare you, and it worked. You should see the look on your face." He laughed. "But seriously, don't force yourself. I cannot stress that enough…I do not want you to regret anything later, you know?" he informed her as he carefully lifted her off of him and sat her back down on her bed before he got up and picked up his shirt.

"So, wait…this whole thing was a test?" Maka was confused.

"No, not a test, more like, an understanding. You see, even though you and I both understand that you are mature for your age, you still haven't experienced everything a woman has. Trust me, there is no need for you to rush into that kind of life," he answered as he finished buttoning that last buttons on his shirt.

Maka looked down at her hands and thought about it for a moment. She understood what he was talking about but she didn't see why it would be so bad to become a woman. "Are you just saying this because of my age? Or is it because I don't look like other women…" she asked quietly.

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" Wes cocked an eyebrow as he turned to face her.

"Well…I know that you are very handsome…and I understand that you probably had your pick of women before, but…wouldn't you want…you know. Someone who was equally as beautiful you…?" she finally asked, looking up at him with painful eyes.

"You really think I am one to go off of appearances? Ouch. That hurts the heart," he playfully held his heart with both hands.

"No! It isn't that! It's just that…well…look at me. I know I'm not as 'full' grown as other girls my age…" she looked down at her hands, ashamed of her body.

Wes' lifted her chin to look her straight in the eye, "Listen to me when I say this, no man or woman truly loves another if they are only basing attraction off of appearance. If a man or woman truly love someone else, full heartily, they will not care or be bothered by any flaw the body may have." Wes held Maka's gaze with his serious look. "When you find a man who can love you for who you are and not your size, height, weight, skin color, or anything else, then you know that that love is real."

Maka's eyes widened because at that exact moment, she knew that maybe, just maybe, that she was in love with Wes.


	14. Thoughts

"It's this house coming up, the two story one," Maka directed Mr. Napa as he slowly drove up to the house.

"So, this is your friend's house?" Wes asked, looking at the house with interest. "What's your friend's name?"

"Death the Kidd. I'm sure you know him, he's Shinigami- -"

"Shinigami-sama's son. Yes, I'm familiar with the boy," Wes cut Maka off. "I would never have guessed Kidd-kun lived here. I will have to visit him one of these days…" Wes stated without taking his eyes off the large house.

"Yeah…well, I'll see you on Monday, Wes-shihan," Maka began as she reached for the handle, getting ready to leave the limo.

"Maka-chan," Wes' voice was off, causing the young girl to quickly look back at the man.

"What is it?"

Wes hesitated, "Don't trust your friends…"

Maka's eyebrows came together in confusion. "What? Why do you say that? I can **always** trust my friends." Maka almost felt like Wes had insulted them.

"No, I don't mean like in battle. I just…don't think it would be wise if you tell your friends about what happened between us. They wouldn't understand the kind of relationship we have," Wes stated with pleading eyes.

Maka stared at the man n silence. "…You don't want us to get in trouble…I understand. I'm not stupid Wes-shihan. I will keep our relationship between us. I promise," she smiled in determination.

"Good, that's what I wanted to hear," the man smiled back, taking Maka's hand in his and giving it a tight squeeze. "You better get going before your friends get worried about you."

"Mmm," she nodded, "thank you Mr. Napa."

"My pleasure, Miss Albarn." The older man replied with a nod.

"Bye bye," she waved as she opened the car door and slid out of the limo before closing the door behind her. The young girl walked away from the limo and walked up to the tall black gate that surrounded the vast house when she noticed Soul standing on the other side with his bangs covering his eyes.

"Soul?"

* * *

"Oi, Soul! When's Miss Bookworm gonna get here?" Black*Star called out from across the room to where the white haired boy and Tsubaki were sitting.

Soul, with his head leaning on his hand, only shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Neh, I think we're having more fun without her anyways! I'm going to the swimming pool," Black*Star called as he began to tear off his shirt in a rush.

"Black*Star! Don't throw your clothes on the floor! Ay…" Tsubaki exhaled a tired breath.

"You're a saint Tsubaki…" Soul sighed, looking over at the window and spotted a black limo pull up outside.

"Wha-hoo!" Black*Star screamed outside with a crashing sound following right after.

"Black*Star, what did you do?" Tsubaki called, shocked pained on her face. "Excuse me Soul-kun," she excused herself before running after her meister.

Soul quickly forgot about the young woman and turned to stare at the limo outside the window. He wondered why a limo had pulled up beside his friend's house and if he should go get Kidd to tell him a person was waiting outside his house. He quickly dismissed the thought when he caught glimpse of a girl inside of the limo. He wasn't certain if it was even a girl but his heart fluttered at the thought. Fear and anxiety ran throughout his veins with the possibility.

_Please don't let it her be in the car_, he desperately thought with his eyes wide as he watched the girl move her hands as she spoke to the other person sitting beside her. He finally stood up, his thoughts getting too much to bear. He couldn't take the thought running through his head. He hated how his mind worked at times like these. It became his worst enemy because it gave him the worst case scenario possible in great details. And at that exact moment his mind was telling him that the girl inside the car was Maka and that she is talking to a man. An older man; successful and rich. He was telling her all the things Soul couldn't and more.

His hands formed into tight fists at his sides as he clenched his jaw.

_No_, he thought as he ran to the front door, iIt isn't true/i . He ran out the door and down the stairs to the walk way. He instantly stopped a couple of steps away when he saw Maka step out of the limo. His heart dropped, his stomach became a tight knot, and his breath caught in his throat. He watched her walk away from the car with her eyes on the ground beneath her feet, unaware of Soul's presence. She finally noticed him when she looked up right before reaching the gate.

"Soul?" she looked surprised and confused.

The white haired boy stared at her without a word. She really came out of that limo with someone else inside of it. "…Hey," he forced out, making his legs move towards the gate door to let her in.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. I decided to take a shower before I did my homework but I got it all done." She smiled as she walked through the gate entrance.

Soul had seen her smile before; really smile. This one wasn't one of them. She sounded off, like she was hiding something. "Who gave you a ride?"

Maka's smile dropped. "O-Oh…" she looked back at the limo, "U-Uh…its- -"

"Maka! You're here!" Patty called out from the front door as she waved.

"Finally you got here," Liz let out lazily, arms crossed.

"Come on in Maka-chan. We were just about to watch a scary movie," Tsubaki invited.

"Hi everyone! Yeah, let's watch it," she answered as she walked past Soul, ignoring his question all together.

Soul stood there with his bangs covering his eyes, hands in tight fists. He noticed the limo slowly pulling away and looked up to glare at the vehicle when suddenly the window began to roll down. Soul's eyes widened when he noticed his brother's toothy grin as the limo drove off out of sight.


	15. Silence

"Well, that was a scary movie," Maka smiled as she looked up at the setting sun. It was drooling with half opened eyes, trying hard to stay awake and in the sky as long as it could before his friend came out to rule the coming night. "What do you want for dinner?" she looked over at her partner who had been quiet since they had left Kidd's house. Maka didn't find it odd, Soul was always the quiet type but this silence was different somehow. Maka could tell, it felt _uncomfortable_.

Soul didn't answer; he didn't even give any sign of hearing the girl's question. He continued to walk with his head hung low watching the moving ground under his feet. He didn't answer because he didn't hear her. He was replaying his brother's wicked grin before he had driven off over and over in his head. Like a thorn in his heart, going deeper and deeper with every little word; every little action. It was always this way; Wes always got what he wanted, regardless if it was right or wrong. If he had his eyes set on something, you might as well give up now and surrender.

That wasn't going to happen; not to Maka. He wouldn't let it. He'll fight his own brother to protect her; his own flesh and blood for this young woman. He knew he loved Maka enough to put his weapon hand against Wes. She wasn't going to be another victim of Wes' sick head games.

"Soul!"

Maka's voice shook Soul and had him looking around to get his bearings. He looked up at Maka and saw her concerned face. "What is it? What happened? Are you ok?" he asked frantically before stopping in the middle of the street, looking her up and down for any sign of wounds.

"No, I'm fine. Calm down. I just asked you what you wanted for dinner. Didn't you hear me?" her eyebrows came together with concern.

"Oh, shit sorry. I didn't hear you, seriously." He placed his hand on his forehead, trying to calm his racing heart.

"Are you ok Soul? You've been acting weird ever since I got to Kidd's house…" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…I'm fine…Don't worry about it. I just thought you were hurt. Let's go home.." Soul breathed as he started to walk without looking back to see if Maka was following him.

* * *

Maka was quietly washing the dishes that had been used during dinner. The food was simple and very easy to make; spaghetti with garlic bread was a snap to make for the young girl. She had to learn from a young age to cook for not only for herself, but for her hopeless father. She didn't mind it. Actually, it felt good to cook something delicious for yourself and some else. The only thing that bothered her was the silence.

The ear splitting , nerve wrecking, heart racing **silence**. Only the sound of their dinner ware clicking against the glass plates rang throughout the quiet apartment. It made her heart squeeze with pain with every click. Especially when she would get a single word answer to her question; trying hard to cut the silence and have a decent conversation. She knew she was hurting him somehow but she just wished he would tell her what was wrong. She trusted him with her life, why couldn't he trust her with his thoughts and worries?

She was going to ask him that exact question while she was in the process of clearing the dinner table but by the time she turned around, he had already closed his bed room door behind him. She wasn't angry at him for walking off without a single word; she was upset that their relationship was getting shaky. They were partners, they needed to be on the same page, in step, in rhythm, in sync to survive. It could be a matter of life and death in the battle field, especially if it meant if they wanted to do a soul resonance.

Maka stopped her washing and looked down at her soapy hands, deep in thought. She gave a small sigh just before a pair of hands slid carefully across her flat stomach, making her jump and yelp.

"Ssh, Maka, it's me."

Her eyes widened. "S-Soul?" she blurted, voice uneven and squeaky. Her face was a deep shade of red as she turned her head to the right and found Soul's face just inches away from her own. She felt his body slowly press against her back and felt the warmth radiating from him. Her breath caught in her throat from the touch of his body. "W-What are you doing…?" she asked, barely a whisper.

Soul continued to look deep into her moss colored eyes with his glazed crimson orbs barely half opened. Slowly he brought his hand up to her chin, tilted it up, leaned in, and captured her soft, warm lips. His lips were gentle and soft, Maka could feel how much he cared for her with just this simple touch. It didn't last longer than 10 seconds, but to both of them, it felt like hours had gone by before they finally parted.

Maka felt light headed and dazed, eyes still gently closed with her lips still parted from the kiss. Soul smiled warmly from the sight of her reaction and "high". "Maka, we need to talk…"

"Huhhh…?" was all she could mutter with her eyes still closed.

"We need to talk about Wes…"

Maka's eyes instantly snapped open to see Soul's smile less, serious face.


	16. Trust Me

Maka pulled out of Soul's arms and turned to face him away from the sink. She stared at him, wide eyed and with her mouth open from disbelief. Soul could only match her stare with his own emotionless gaze.

"How do you know that name?" were the first and only words she could force out.

"Maka, I think you should sit down," Soul motioned to the dinner table before pulling out a chair for her to take.

Maka ignored his invitation, "How do you know his name?" she repeated, almost demanding.

Soul sighed, "It's a long story, please sit down and I'll tell you."

The girl stared at him for a long while before finally sitting down.

"Look, I know I haven't been…myself lately…it's because…" Soul paced in the kitchen, trying to pick the right words carefully, with Maka watching his every move. He had to be very careful with what he told her about his brother. He couldn't come out and just tell her Wes was his brother, it would go against the deal he and Wes had made.

_"…As long as you keep our little meeting and that we are brothers a secret, I will keep teaching Maka-chan…"_

But was that really worth it? Was her grades worth Maka's sanity and health, or more importantly, her life? He knew she was more important than all that but he was afraid. Wes was capable of anything and everything. If his threat didn't get you to do what he wanted, he'll find something that will; and that something usually was physical.

"Tell me what you know," Maka's patience was running out. She was getting tired of watching Soul pace back and forth, eyes darting from side to side.

Soul finally stopped, "Maka, Wes isn't a good man…I've seen things…that he's capable of…none of them were pretty. I don't want you to be a victim of his lies - -"

"And how do you know this? How do you know his name? How do I know your not just lying to me?" Maka cut him off.

Soul stopped and looked over at her with wide eyes, "Really, Maka? You think I would lie to you?" Soul raised his voice and slammed his hand on the table. "I know his name because I've known him for most of my life! He and I are prodigies in our families; born into rich, prestigious and strict households," Soul wasn't lying, he was going to tell her as much as the truth as possible without mentioning that he and Wes were brothers. "Maka, I've seen this man manipulate so many women it isn't a joke! I wish it were because most of them became soulless beings wishing they were dead and only see themselves equal to dirt! I don't…I don't want the same fate to fall on you…please Maka, stop taking classes from him…" Soul breathed out, feeling tears coming on.

Maka could only sit there and watch the boy in silence. He slowly brought his eyes up to see the young girl, waiting for her reply. He watched as she slowly stood, "What do you want me to say Soul?" she quietly asked with gentle eyes.

Soul's eyes widened, "Wh-What do I want you to say? I want you to stay away from him! He's a bad man! He only hurts those around him! Maka- -!"

"Stop it, Soul!" she cut him off, "I don't want to hear it! I know Wes-sama, h-he wouldn't do that to me- -"

"Wouldn't he, Maka? You don't know him like I do, trust me…" he slowly walked over to her and gently held her face with his hands. "Please Maka, trust me when I say this about him; he isn't one to be trusted…" he whispered, leaning close to her face until both their foreheads were touching.

"But…Soul, I don't want to get in trouble with Shinigami-sama…" she uttered, fear in her eyes.

"Maka, your life is more important to me then some stupid grade," he admitted, leaning to kiss her once.

"No, Soul you don't understand!" she quickly pulled out of his hold before they could kiss and stared at him, "I didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want you to feel anymore guilty than you already felt…"

"What is it?" he asked with fear.

Maka looked away, fidgeting with her hands, "Shinigami-sama…he said that if I didn't make up for my mistakes- -"

"**OUR** mistakes," Soul quickly corrected.

Maka paused, "He said if I didn't make it up, I could lose you as a partner…"

Soul's eyes became serious and shocked, "What? He doesn't have that right! We chose to be partners; he has no fucking right- -!"

"Soul!" Maka stopped him before he lost it again, "Look," she took a deep breath, "both him and Papa talked and agreed, me being a meister is interfering with my schooling…they say I haven't been focusing on my work since we lost all 99 souls…" she looked away, almost embarrassed to admit it.

"What the fuck? That's fuckin' bull and you know it! What did he expect with that whole Medusa and Arachne shit that went on? And don't forget the Demon God, you were the reason why that fucker is gone, or has he forgotten about that too?" Soul was seething with rage.

"I know Soul!" Maka slammed her hand on the nearby table, breathing heavily. She tried hard to control it, "What do you want me to do…? They said that I went through so much, I should be away from you as a weapon and meister…so that I can live a **normal** life for a bit…but I told them that I can do both; I can earn credits back and still be partners with you," she looked up at Soul with determination, "So if I quit Wes-sama's teachings, it'll be a for sure sign that I can't juggle both and I forfeit you as my weapon…" she finally admitted, tears coming on.

Soul stared straight at her as he tried to take in what he had just heard. "I didn't know that…" he breathed as he walked away with his hands laced together behind his head. He thought things over, wondering what could be done to win against his brother. Soul eventually stopped walking around his kitchen, lowered his hands slowly, and turned to face Maka. "I think I gots an idea." He grinned.


	17. Unfair

**A/N: hello everyone ^^ I'd like to say thanks to those who have commented, faved the story, or is watching the story. It makes me so happy! ^^ I usually forget to update with a new chapter because of my busy schedule but please comment so it can motivate me or get me to post another chapter in case I forget ^^; cuz hey, I'm human too you know? XP thanks again! ~Mizuink  
**

* * *

***Ding*Dong*Ding***

"Alright, well that'll be it for today. Tomorrow make sure to wear some clothes you don't care much for." Professor Stein lazily instructed with a sigh as he rested his chin on his arms while sitting backwards on his wheel chair.

The class full of students stopped their packing; trying to figure out why their professor would ask such a request. Finally, a young girl worked enough courage to raise her hand to ask the crazed man.

"Mm? Yes, Yuki?" Stein cocked his head to one side to look at the white haired girl as he turned the screw that protruded out of his head a couple of times, clicking with each rotation.

"Uh, w-why do we need to bring certain clothes for tomorrow?" she nervously asked, her voice quivering with every word.

"Oh, you all don't know?" he sat up straight in the chair and looked around the room to every student but none could figure out his reason for such an odd request. "Really? Hmm, well I don't know how to say it in any easier words…" he uttered as he walked over to his black board with his back turned towards the class. "We are going to dissect this marvelous creature!" he roared as he pulled down a visual for the creature he spoke of.

Everyone in class gasped when they saw the picture of the small animal. "We're going to dissect a frog?" Yuki screamed while other made disgusted faces and noises.

"Yes, is that a problem?" Professor Stein calmly sat back down in his chair with a confused expression on his face.

"Ew!" all the girls screamed while some of the guys disagreed with grins.

Maka sighed as she packed up her books and placed them in her bag when Soul walked over next to her. She looked up at the boy and smiled. They didn't need to say anything to each other; they could read each other's mind with just one nod said a thousand words to Maka. _"I'll be waiting for you outside."_, was what his nod meant. He was just about to walk up the stairs towards the door but was stopped by a hand holding his sleeve.

The white haired boy stopped and looked back at the girl. "What is it?"

Maka's eyes were focused on the table beside Soul; her expression a nervous and embarrassed one.

"What is it Maka?" Soul took a step down towards her and took her chin in his hand.

"…Can you…come with me?"

Soul blinked. He studied the girl's expression but she would still not look him in his eyes; a light blush on her cheeks. He smiled, "Yes, I'll be there right beside you." He leaned his head down until his forehead was against hers. That's when she finally looked up.

"What's up? What's up?" Shinigami-sama greeted with a bouncing step.

"Hello Maka." Spirit greeted his daughter with a warm smile. "Boy," he gave Soul a grimace.

"Hello Shinigami-sama. Papa," Maka nodded to both men with respect as she walked up to them with Soul following beside her.

"What's the boy doing here? Shinigami-sama only called for my Maka to come, brat." Spirit informed with an annoyed voice.

Soul looked the man straight in his eyes with a fierce expression, "Your **daughter** asked me to be here, sir."

Spirit blinked as his expression fell for a brief moment before he grunted and walked back to where he was originally standing. Soul watched him retreat to his spot without letting up on his expression but quickly was surprised when Maka's gloved hand gently slipped into his loose one. He quickly looked up at her and found the girl smiling with determination that said 'Thank you'.

"Sooooo, how's the tutoring going, Maka-chan? Is it too hard for you to do schooling, finding Kishin eggs, and the tutoring all together?" the tall man asked.

Maka took a quick breath, "Tutoring is fine. I will admit it is difficult, but trust me, it isn't a problem to juggle with the rest of my agenda. School has never been a problem for me in the past and as for the Kishin; ever since the Demon God has been defeated there hasn't been much trouble from Death City or any other location. True, evil will never cease so Soul and I will continue our duty to you as well, Shinigami-sama, so please, don't take Soul away from me…" Maka's voice quivered at the end of her strong speech. Soul could feel her hand tighten with slight fear around his own.

The tall dark man thought a while. "Maka-chan, you are your mother's daughter; always pushing herself to do great things. I don't have a doubt that you can do it all, however, for safety purposes, I cannot allow it."

"What?" both Soul and Maka screamed in unison.

"But why? I have been keeping with my studies!"

"She hasn't failed a single thing! This isn't fuckin'- -!"

"Watch your mouth, Soul-kun," Spirit cut the boy off.

"No! This isn't fair! You can't do this! What are your reasons?" Soul couldn't take this for a solution. He wouldn't accept it.

"Soul-kun, I cannot let this go," Shinigami sympathetically stated. "I will not allow her to carry all this weight- -."

"Then let me! I'll do it! I'll do it all!"

"I'm sorry Soul-kun, but this is a deal between Maka and myself." Shinigami's eyes turned sorrowful.

"So what does that mean?" Soul was angry.

"For this moment on, Maka-chan will be taking residence somewhere else other than that of the apartment you two share."

"What? Why the hell not?"

"She is free to stay at my house with Kidd-kun or her father," Shinigami ignored Soul's outburst.

"This is fuckin' outrageous! No way will I allow this!" Soul stood in front of Maka protectively. "Why does she have to move out of the apartment?" Soul didn't understand any of it.

"I don't want to leave! I can't do it! I don't feel safe- -! I won't be able to sleep without him there!" Maka screamed with fear in her eyes and painted on her face.

"Because the bond between you two have to be completely broken before Soul could be reassigned to another meister- -."

"No! Papa, please don't take Soul away from me!" Maka cut off her father as she ran over to him and grabbed fists full of his jacket with scared eyes. "Please, Shinigami-sama, I can do this! I've always worked hard! I know I can do this, please don't take him away from me- -!"

"Maka."

The young girl instantly stopped with the sound of a deep voice behind Shinigami-sama. Maka's eyes widened when a slick dressed Wes stepped out from behind the tall man.

"…Sh-Shihan…w-what are you doing here…?" she quietly asked.

"I was invited to this little meeting," he smiled warmly with closed eyes. "I didn't know you were going to bring your weapon along too," he smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Maka's violin instructor."

Soul's jaw clenched, "Hello," was all he could muster through his clenched teeth.

*_He's pretending to not even know Soul?_* Maka wondered, watching the man carefully.

"Evans-san has also offered his home to you, Maka-chan," Shinigami-sama finally revealed.

"There won't be a need for that sir. Maka is going to stay home, with me, where she belongs." Soul spoke every word between clenched teeth. He knew this was going nowhere good if his brother was involved.

"Soul-kun, please understand this is not a request; it is an order from me to you, my future weapon-to-be." Everyone looked up at the masked man in silence. "There is no other way, trust me. I wouldn't suggest such a dramatic change for the both of you if there was. But I cannot risk her health any longer- -."

"You let her fight the Demon God when even you couldn't- -!"

"That's enough Soul!" Spirit came behind the younger boy and covered his mouth with his hand. "If I remember correctly, you weren't the one who helped her defeat the Demon God either. This isn't forever, just let things go and everything will go back to the way things were." Spirit tried hard to keep Soul under control as he struggled in his arms.

"Yes, it will only be temporary. I'll make sure you are cared for Maka," Wes walked over to the young girl and gently placed his hand on her small shoulder.

Maka twitched at the touch of the man but she didn't stop looking at her Soul. "If I go through with this, I get Soul back when I'm done…right?"

"Yes," Shinigami answered.

"Fine, i accept. But I have my own deal to make with you Shinigami-sama."

The masked man looked down at her and waited. Maka looked up at the masked man with a determined expression, "If I can put on a show just for you, Shinigami-sama, and if I do not miss a single note on the sheet, I get Soul back after my performance is over. Deal?" Maka's expression didn't let up once. She stared straight right at the man and waited for his answer.

"Mmm…" he thought for a moment with everyone's eyes on him in silence. The silence was built so high, everyone's heart was racing from the anticipation. "Ok! Ok! OOOOOOk!" he boomed with a gleeful voice that made everyone jump at the sound. He made the suspense and silence dissipate with his loud, happy, booming voice. "We have a deal Maka-chan. Just don't push yourself too hard." Shinigami-sama put out his large gloved hand for the girl to shake.

"You let me do things my way, and you'll see I'm more than Mama; I'm **me**." she took the man's hand and shook it with a firm grip.

"So, what shall it be Maka? Where are you going to stay?" Spirit asked quietly.

Maka looked over at her father, to Shinigami, at Wes, then finally to Soul. She looked at his eyes and found them to be scared. "I think…I'm going to stay with Evans-shihan…" she finally answered after much thought.

"Wonderful, well, we should get going then Maka. You still have school work to do, I'm sure. We also need to stop by your house to get your belongings," Wes informed the girl with a gentle voice.

Maka looked up at the man and saw him smiling warmly down at her. "Yeah," was all she could say.

"Mr. Napa is waiting outside for us, come on." Wes started towards the door.

Maka followed slowly behind him but stopped next to Soul. She looked at him; silence between the two. They didn't need to say anything, their eyes said it all. They were afraid, worried, and unsure; but most of all, they were determined to **beat** this.


	18. Smile Like You Mean It

"It's very nice to see you again Maka-kun," Mr. Napa smiled warmly as he greeted the young meister as she walked up to the waiting limo.

"Oh, hello again," she quietly greeted before pausing in front of the automobile.

"Where are we taking you today, Miss?"

"We're taking her home, Napa." Wes quickly answered, no emotion attached.

"Ah, I see. Home it is then- -."

"Wait! I still need to go home for my things, remember, Wes-shihan?" Maka interrupted the man. She ignored the opened door that Nr. Napa was holding open for her and stared straight at the white haired man, waiting for his reply.

Wes looked at Maka a moment, "Oh, you're right…I almost forgot," he looked over at Mr. Napa "To Maka's home first," he turned and smiled with his eyes gently closed.

* * *

Soul just stood in room with the moving clouds. He couldn't help but stand there, silent and angry; running the scene over and over in his head and telling himself the world was all going to shit. Everything was going down in burning flames around him and he felt helpless to stop it from continuing.

Both Spirit and Shinigami-sama studied the silent boy without a word exchanged, no matter how painful the silence killed them both.

"I have something to attend to on school grounds. Will you stay here until he finally feels well enough to leave?" the masked man placed his giant gloved hand gently on his Death Scythe's shoulder.

Spirit snorted, "I don't see why he's making such a big deal. He wasn't with my Maka for very long…" he muttered in annoyance.

"Spirit," the man looked up at the shinigami, "the bond between a meister and weapon is one that runs deeper than any normal bond; you should know this very well." Spirit looked away in embarrassment. "I'm sure if the bond that you and I share were to be broken, you would feel exactly what Soul-kun is feeling right now, I guarantee it. So please, do not treat this matter lightly." Shinigami-sama stated before he turned and left the room.

_*Teh, that boy was never good for my Maka. It was only a matter of time before she realized it*_ Spirit thought to himself as he turned and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

"Why'd you let it happen…?" Soul asked through clenched teeth.

"Hmmm? You talking to me boy?" Spirit stopped in his tracks and spoke over his shoulder.

"Yeah, old man. I am talking to you," Soul slowly turned with narrowed eyes. "Why did you let his happen?" he growled again.

"First of all, I'm not old. Second, Maka is still my daughter, I know what is good for her- -."

"Bull shit. If that were true you wouldn't have been such a womanizer and lost her mother- -!"

"You shut your mouth boy. You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about." Spirit finally turned to face Soul in anger.

"I know enough to at least call you on it. Why would you do this? This isn't your life to decide for her! For Kami sake. Do you know just **who** you gave your daughter to?" Soul screamed.

"Yes, I do. He is a responsible, intelligent, successful, gentleman. He is also the man who will pull Maka out of the mess **you** made!" Spirit strode up to Soul and pressed his index finger into the boy's chest with every word he said. "And you know what else? Maybe one day they will get married and give me grandchildren; ones who are either humans or meisters. Not weapons like you or I, but normal humans and meisters- -!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Soul pushed Spirit away from him. "Haven't you forgotten that Maka is a weapon who chooses to be a meister? She has **your** weapon blood running through her veins!" Soul screamed on the top of his lungs. "And how dare you think that just because we are used by others, that we are anything less than '**normal'**. Are you going to stand here and tell me that if Maka were to give you your first grandchild, and if he or she were to come to be a weapon, that you would disown it? Just because it was something it had **no** control over?" Soul swung his hand to the side in anger. He waited for Spirit to reply but he just stood there, silent without an answer. "When you open your fucking eyes to what you did and when you open your fucking ears to what you just said, then you can come to me saying you want the **best** for her, you asshole," Soul said before running out the door, leaving a silent Spirit behind.

* * *

"Is this all the stud you'll need Maka?" Wes asked as he looked over the two bags that were bulging full of items on the floor in front of him.

They had gotten to Maka's apartment not even 20 minutes ago and already Wes was ready to leave. He looked the small apartment over and couldn't help but frown upon it. The kitchen/dinning room was the size, if not smaller, than his guest bathroom. He couldn't fathom the slightest clue as to why Soul would give up his high life for something like this.

"Maka? Did you hear me?" Wes finally got tired of waiting for her answer and made his way to her bedroom door.

"Yes! I heard!" Maka quickly answered, stopping Wes just inches from the door handle. "I'm just…making sure I have everything." Her voice was muffled behind the door. "You can wait for me in the car, I'll be right down."

Wes narrowed his eyes, "Alright, I'll send Mr. Napa to get your things." He stated before he turned and walked out the front door with his hands in his pockets.

Maka listened for his footsteps until they were out of the house with her ear to the door before she finally decided to leave her room and run over to Soul's room. She quickly slipped inside and placed a small envelope with Soul's name in her writing on the front on top of his pillow where she knew he would see it. The young girl looked down at the envelope and couldn't help but hold in a need to sob. She quickly made her way out his room and nearly ran into Mr. Napa with a gasp.

"Oh, I apologize, Maka-kun. I had no intention of scaring you; Wesu-sama asked me to get your belongings- -."

"Oh, n-no! Its fine, don't worry about it! I can carry it- -."

"Isn't that your weapon's room?"

Maka's heart stopped. Her eyes widened with slight fear. "W-What do you mean?" she asked nervously.

"Pardon me if I seem rude, but I could have sworn Wesu-sama said your room was on the left…" his brows came together in confusion.

*_Crap_!* she thought in fear. "Oh, yeah. I-I just thought Soul had my…MP3 player but then I realized that I had already packed it" she quickly lied with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh I see." The man chuckled.

"So, I'll get these- -." Maka slowly began to bend over to pick up her bags but was stopped.

"Oh no Miss! Please, allow me! After all, this is what I get paid for." He quickly picked the bags up before Maka could reach them. "Please, after you," he gestured towards the front door.

"Oh…yeah." She slowly began to make her way towards the door but paused, "I guess I won't be needing this anymore…" she slowly placed her key on the kitchen table before walking out the door,

"There you are Maka. I was beginning to think you'd never come down." Wes called up the stairs with a smile.

"Ah, Miss?" Mr. Napa called from the front door.

"Mm, yes?" Maka stopped and looked back up at the man.

"May I use the restroom?" he made an embarrassed expression.

"Oh, sure. It's the door in between our rooms…"

"Thank you, I'll only be a moment." The man gently put her bags down and ran back into the house.

"Maka, come here."

The girl slowly turned to face the older man at the foot of the stairs. She studied him a while without a single movement.

"What's the matter?" he chuckled. "You're looking at me like I'm a total stranger."

"I'm sorry Wes-shihan, this is just…painful…." She finally answered as she made her way down the stairs and stopped in front of the man.

"Oh, I know it's hard. But look at it this way: It's not like you're never going to see this place again." He comforted as he slowly placed his hand on her should and cupped her cheek with the other.

Maka instantly pulled away from his touch and looked away from him without a single word.

Wes narrowed his eyes and glared a moment.

"I apologize for my rudeness!" Mr. Napa cut Wes' trance as the man came down the stairs with the bags, signaling time for their departure.

"It's fine, let us go home," he stepped aside for Maka to make her way toward the limo with a tight grin spread across his face.


	19. Lie

"Here are your bags Maka-kun," the short older man warmly informed as he placed Maka's bags at the foot of her bed. "Is there anything you need from me today, Miss?" he looked over at the young girl as she continued to look out the window in silence.

"…No, that'll be all…thank you."

Mr. Napa hesitated a moment, "Is everything alright? Are you sure I can't get you anything?" he sympathetically asked, talking a small step towards the silent girl.

"No, I'm fine," she turned to face him, "thank you for worrying about me," she forced a smile.

"No need to thank me Miss." He gently smiled back.

"Napa, did you show Maka her room?" Wes' voice came from down the hall.

"O-Oh! Y-Yes Wesu-sama," Mr. Napa quickly ran over towards the door and looked down the hall. "I made sure she was comfortable and asked her if there was anything she needed." He continued to speak as Wes finally appeared from down the hall and stepped past the man to stand steps away from Maka.

Maka couldn't find it in her to look the man in the eyes. His presence at this moment was million needles in her heart that only told her he was standing between her and her chance to see Soul again. She lowered her head to the floor and studied the texture. She could feel his eyes on her and it made her heart run. Each beat ached with uncertainty and worry.

"And, did Miss Albarn request anything?" Wes cocked his eyebrow.

"W-Well, there isn't anything she requested, Sir…"

"No?" he studied Maka with question as she continued to stare at the floor beside her. "Isn't there anything you'd like?" his eyebrows came together in question.

"No thank you," she answered with a bit of annoyance. "I would just like to settle in please…" she finally informed.

"Oh, well of course you do; I apologize. Napa," Wes turned around, "Why not tell the cooks to start on dinner? I'm sure we'll be ready to eat once our guest is done." He smiled at Maka.

"Yes sir. I'll do that right now," Napa excused himself before leaving the room.

Wes slowly watched as Maka walked over towards her bags and unzipped each one silently. He watched her without a single word for a while but his presence must have bothered her because her movement slowly came to a halt after a moment.

"Do you need something?" Maka finally asked as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Oh, no. I was just…" he hesitated a long moment, making Maka turn to face him in curiosity. "Its' just that…I'm happy you're here. I really am," he smiled as he crossed the distance between them and slowly placed his hands on her shoulders. "I promise, we'll succeed and get through this." He stated before he leaned in to kiss her forehead but Maka moved her head to the side.

"I would really like to be alone please…" she mumbled.

Wes' eyebrows came together in sadness. "Yes…I understand. I'll see you down stairs in a little bit." He walked away from her and slowly slipped out of her room.

* * *

"Soul-kun," a voice called out to the white haired boy as he continued to walk fast past his classmates, ignoring his friend calling out to him. "Oi, Soul." Kidd finally caught up with him and stopped him in his tracks.

"Sorry Kiddo, I don't have time to talk- -."

"Why are you in such a rush? Why were you in my father's room? What happened?" the boy asked all his questions as he held Soul in place with a hand on his shoulder. "What happened to Maka…?" his voice was quiet but fierce as he narrowed his eyes.

Soul froze; eyes wide. He didn't know how to answer that question. At least not at that moment. "I don't know…"

"Yes you do. I can feel it, Soul. Your wave length is all over the place. And I don't see any sign of Maka's imprint anywhere either. What happened- -?"

"I don't know!" Soul screamed, causing everyone nearby to stop and stare. "Why don't you ask your father?" he hissed as he pulled out of Kid's hold and ran past everyone.

* * *

"Maka? Are you here?" Soul quickly ripped open the door to his apartment and looked frantically around to find any sign of his brown haired meister. "Maka?" he ran into her room but found it empty. Everything was neatly in order but her presence was nowhere to be found. All her clothes and essentials were gone. He looked in her bathroom and it too was empty.

Soul quickly stormed out of her room and was just about to go into his room when he spotted a single key on the table. It was Maka's key to the apartment. His breath caught in his throat with the sight of the key. He felt hot tears coming on. The young boy slowly picked up the metal key and began to cry. He finally lost it and threw his hands in his hair and began to cry out in sorrow as he fell to the floor.

He didn't want to believe any of it was true. Maka wasn't gone, she was just running late. Any moment she would be coming through that door and she would find him in the mess he's in. She'll knell down by his side, wipe away his tears, pull him into her warm and loving arms, and whisper iIts going to be ok/i in his ear and mean it.

But she didn't come through the door. She didn't wipe away his tears or held him. But most of all, she wasn't there to pull him together any more. That's when Soul quickly looked up and stopped crying. He slowly got to his feet and made his way to his room. His eyes instantly fell on the white envelope that sat neatly on his pillow.

* * *

"Did you like dinner?" Wes asked as he wiped his mouth of any remains from their Italian dinner.

"Yes, it was good." Maka quietly answered as a couple of servants began to clear the table.

"Are you sure you're done eating? I didn't see you eat all that much…" his eyebrows came together in worry.

"Yes, I'm sure. I usually don't eat all that much."

"Oh, I see. Well whenever you get hungry, don't hesitate to ask." Wes smiled.

"Thank you." She nodded her head. "Please excuse me; I'll be in my room studying." She slowly got up and left the table without another word spoken between the two.

The climb up the stairs was heart wrenching for the young girl because each step was a reminder that this was real. She could already feel the empty void growing where Soul's wave length used to be and it was slowly killing her. She needed to hurry and get all of this mess cleaned up so that she and Soul could be together again. She was determined to do everything and anything she can to get her life back to the way it was, even if it meant living a **lie**.


	20. Hush

Maka quickly slipped her arm into her black coat as getting ready for school. It was earlier than she would normally get ready, but she needed to see Soul and make sure he had gotten her letter. Last night she had cried silent tears because everything around her seemed foreign and it made her feel out of place in the large, cold room. She could feel the distance between them and knew it was already happening; the bond was breaking if not already broken.

Everything was happening too fast but they both needed to be clear minded and on equal levels if they wanted to move forward and beat everything. She knew they would no longer be in tune with each other but as long as they were on the same page, things could work. She needed to make sure her concert is a hit or else Soul will really slip through her fingertips to another meister.

Just then she paused her buttoning her coat and took in what she just thought. Soul with another meister, sure it wasn't for sure if he was going to be paired up right away, let alone a female, but it still pained her to even imagine. Having someone else hold Soul and wield him in his weapon form, it was harder to imagine than it sounded. She quickly shook her head of the thought. _I know it wouldn't be bad…perhaps he will be able to gain everything we lost and bring his grades up_, Maka thought to herself as she buttoned her last button before she picked up her book bag from her bed and walked towards the door.

The young girl quietly slipped out the door and walked down the silent hallway towards the steps. The whole house was quiet and cold with the morning air. She needed to make sure no one caught her going to school pretty much an hour ahead of when she really needed to. She had reached the bottom of the stairs, all she needed was to make her way towards the door and she was free…

"Maka-kun, where are you off to so early this morning?"

Maka instantly jumped when she heard Wes' voice right behind her. "Wes-shihan! Y-You scared me!" she turned to face the man with a hand over her heart.

"Where are you going?" he replied, not fazed by her reaction.

"O-Oh, well, I'm going to school." She smiled nervously.

"Mmm, you're a horrible **liar**." He walked right by her with his arms crossed. Maka's eyes widened as she slowly turned followed him. "But its fine because you're not going to school today." He smiled back.

"Wait, what? Why not?" her heart began to pound hard. "If you think I will skip school or run away you're wrong!" she glared at the man.

"Oh no, no! That isn't it at all!" Wes crossed the distance between them and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I just meant that Shinigami-sama excused you from school today- -."

Her eyes widened again, "W-Why?"

"I called him to inform him that you didn't seem like yourself and that I was worried…" he gave her shoulders a slight squeeze.

"What? No!" she pulled out of his hold, "Why would you do that? Now he's going to think I can't do this! That I'm not capable of doing this- -!"

"Sshh…Maka, it's ok," he quickly grabbed her hand before she was able to run away and pulled her into his arms to hold her. "I know you're upset and confused but trust me…I'm here for you."

"No! You shouldn't have done that! Why did you have to…?" she screamed in his chest as she pushed against it, trying to get out of his hold but it was no use. She finally gave in and began to cry in his chest when she found he wasn't going to let her go. "Why…why…" she cried over and over, grabbing fists full of his white blouse in anger and frustration.

"Sshh…I know. Things will get better, I promise…" he whispered into her ear and held her close. "I just…wanted you to have an easy day today…I didn't want you to feel too overwhelmed by everything than you already are…"

"But I know I can do this…"

"I know you can, you're Maka Albarn after all. But even the most strong have to rest…" he gently rested his chin on her head. "You are your own woman…Not your mother…or your father…but **you**."

Maka felt her heart skip a beat with his words. She raised her head up to look the man in his eyes. They both stared into each other's orbs in silence. "…I just…I've never been without him…" she lowered her head, bangs covering her eyes as her body began to quiver.

"Don't be scared. You can do this and besides, you have me here," he smiled as he wiped away her tears. "Don't cry any more _preciosa_.

She quickly looked up and saw into his deep blue eyes and saw truth in them. Why do his eyes look so familiar? She thought as she continued to study them in question. She traced his beautiful features with her eyes so slowly; mesmerized by every line, every curve that was him. Her hand slowly came up to his eyes and gently brushed the strands away to reveal his eyes so perfectly. "…Why are you like this?" she whispered as she covered his eyes with her hand.

_"Because I worry about you…And you know I'm always here to listen to you if you ever need an ear…"_

Maka's eyes widened as she pulled away with a small gasp. Did she really hear that?

"What's wrong?" Wes gently took her hand in his.

"N-No…its nothing. I-I thought I heard something…" her voice was shaky.

"Hmm? What did you think I said?" he smirked.

"Nothing…"

"Oh, alright. Breakfast is almost ready; maybe you just need to eat. Come on, I'll get you some right now," he kissed her forehead quickly before walking towards the kitchen.

She stood there a moment, heart pounding hard against her rib cage like a trapped bird. What she thought she heard scared her; it was scary how much Wes sounded like Soul when he said he cared for her.

* * *

"Father, I need to talk to you. Are you busy?" Kid walked up the steps towards his father with Liz and Patty following behind.

"Mmm? No, I have nothing keeping me at the moment. What is it Kiddo?" the tall man turned to face his son.

"Maka Albarn; where is she?" he asked, straight to the point. He kept his eyes glued to the masked man because he knew when his father was telling the truth or lying by his actions.

"Hey Kid, why do you wanna know about Maka? She's probably at home sick or something…" Liz asked quietly with Patty standing next to her, staring off into the distance, bored.

"Where is she?" he ignored his weapon and pushed further. It was true he didn't know Maka all that well, but he could already tell she wasn't the type to miss school from a simple sickness. She was too much of a hard worker to miss school just like that. It was one of the things he admired about her.

Shinigami stared at Kid for a while, "Is she in her classroom?" he asked, placing a giant finger under his chin.

"Father, stop that. Tell me- -."

"Why do you want to know?" he cut Kid off in a serious voice, making the boy flinch.

"Because…she is my friend. We've fought side by side in time of war, so I think I have some right to know where she is." Kid stated, anger starting to rise from his father's question.

"I see, so this has nothing to do with an infatuation for Maka-chan?"

"H-Huh?" both Kid and Liz screamed while Patty laughed loud. "No, it isn't like that," he defended himself, a slight blush on his cheeks. "You always do that, so stop it. It isn't like that."

"Mm, well I'm sorry I can't give you any details…but I will say she didn't feel up for school today so she called out."

"Why not?"

"It isn't much of your concern, son- -."

"Yes it is!" he screamed. "I hate it when you try to hide everything from me like I'm a child! You want me to be the next Shinigami but how do you expect me to do that when you can't even trust me with this- -?"

"You really want to know; the truth?"

Kid flinched, "Yes, I do." He firmly answered.

Shinigami took a deep breath. "Maka-chan is no longer Soul-kun meister…"

* * *

Soul stared at his desk as the teacher continued with her lecture. He couldn't focus on anything because there were more important thought on his mind. _Maka_ he thought as his heart ached. _What did you mean by your letter?_, he wondered as he remembered what he read the night before.

_Soul,_

_I don't have much time because I'm leaving soon and I wanted you to get this letter without anyone knowing…I'm sorry for everything but I know everything will get better. I chose to live with Wes-shihan because I knew it would be better that way. I really do want to fix things so please, trust me and continue living life without me. If I don't make it in time before you get assigned to a new partner, don't fight it, go for it. Go with the flow, because that's who you are. Don't come looking for me, I'll see you when and if I can. Sayonara, Soul._

_-Maka_

_p.s._

_I know you don't want to hear this…but…I really want to make things work…between me and shihan…please try to be happy for us_

Soul flinched, remembering it was too painful to even imagine. It couldn't be true, it wasn't like her. Maka…wouldn't write that…would she?

* * *

***Ding*Dong*Ding***

_*Attention, **Soul Eater** please come to Shinigami-sama's room as soon as possible. **Soul Eater** please come to Shinigami-sama's room as soon as possible, thank you.*_ the voice over the speaker commanded before everyone in the classroom began to whisper and talk.

"Settle down class, Soul, you may get your things- -" the teacher looked up toward Soul's desk but the door was already slowly closing shut.


	21. Damage

The hallway was empty with the sound of his footsteps ringing through his ears. His heart was beating faster than normal because he wasn't sure what was waiting at the end of it. He knew it wasn't going to be all that he wanted; no. if anything it would be something that would hinder everything he was trying to fix and gain.

"Hello, hello, heellooo~ Soul-kun!" a loud booming voice came from on top a platform that sat in the middle of the giant room. Soul slowly climbed up the steps onto the platform and found a young girl his age standing next to the tall man.

"You called for me?" he asked lazily as he scratched the back of his head, shifting his eyes from the shinigami to the girl and back.

"I sure did Soul-kun. This," he motioned the young girl with his gloved hand, "is _Mauri Napolitano_."

Soul watched the girl as she took steps towards him with her lips pursed, ready to lay a kiss on him.

Soul eyes widened from the sight. He instantly grabbed her face with both hands and held her at arm's length away. "What the hell? Are you trying to kiss me?" he screamed and looked over at Shinigami-sama in confused anger.

"Ah..please, let go. You are…hur-hurting me…" the young girl pleaded.

"Oh! Soul-kun! Mauri isn't from here!" the tall man quickly released her from Soul's hold.

"Huh?"

"Like I was going to tell you, she recently came here from Italy and is looking to attend our school." The shinigami sighed. "Mauri, here we either bow or shake hands," he instructed her.

"Oh…" Mauri nodded before turning to face Soul again, "It is very nice to meet you Soul-kun," she smiled warmly as she extended her hand for him to shake.

Her dark brown, almost black, hair was barely shoulder length with her bangs reaching her eyes. Her tan skin told him she loved the sun but even her freckles could still be seen on her face. It was hard not to notice her smile and not smile back. But Soul held his smile in. "Uh…huh." He looked from Mauri to Shinigami-sama and back before taking a step towards her to take her hand. "Nice to meet y- - ack!" he took her hand before a shock went through his and up his arm to the rest of his body, causing him to pull away instantly. "What the hell was that?" he screamed, holding his hand as he watched Mauri do the same.

"Mauri-chan, Soul-kun doesn't have a meister anymore," Shinigami informed the young girl, almost ignoring their discomfort.

"I do have one! Her name is Maka- -!"

"But the bond is broken…"

Soul's eyes widened as his attention was brought back to the girl. _*How did she…?*_

"When meister and weapon have a partner who has been taken from them, a wave of untamed and angry soul wave is let out…the more powerful the wave is, the most pained the parting was…" her voice was sad as she lowered her eyes to the floor.

Soul continued to study the girl with curiosity. "Soul-kun, I have called you here so that you may show Mauri-chan around the school grounds." The shinigami finally spoke after a moment of silence between the two students past.

Soul finally pulled his eyes away from the young girl, "Why me?" his eyes narrowed slightly, "Can't Kidd do it? I don't see why I have t- -."

**"Soul Eater."**

The boy instantly froze. The voice that was serious, cold, and fearful took the sound from his voice without a second to lose. His whole body went stiff; his heart seemed to stop beating, before sinking down into the pit of his stomach.

The mask that hid the shinigami's face turned hard and serious. The black hole-like-eyes narrowed in slight anger, "I am asking you nicely. This is my order to you; and might I add that you're disobedience is making my patience run thin…" Soul lowered his head and shook his hands violently. "Do I make myself clear?"

Soul hesitated a moment, "Y-Yes…Shinigami-sama…"

* * *

The empty hallways seemed to whisper hateful things into Soul's ears. The silence stabbed at everything he wanted to save and fix. The footsteps that followed him echoed and ran throughout the empty walkway, pulling at his heart so terribly.

Soul didn't want to look at the girl what so ever, it was the very reason why he glued his eyes to the moving floor beneath his feet. He was grateful that Mauri wasn't speaking, he felt he wouldn't be able to handle her voice which reminded him so much of **her**. But he couldn't get his head around one thing…

_"When meister and weapon have a partner who has been taken from them, a wave of untamed and angry soul wave is sent out…the more powerful the wave is, the most pained the parting was…"_

Mauri was too busy walking with her head low that she didn't stop in time to avoid walking into a standing Soul. "Oh, _scusa_. I did not mean to- -."

"…What did you mean back there…?" the boy asked without turning around to face her.

Mauri blinked, "What…do you mean…?"

"About the soul wave thing."

"What about it?"

Soul paused. "…I felt a wave from you…so…what happened to your partner? Did he…she die?"

Mauri lowered her head, "…No, he didn't…" she muttered.

"Did you leave him back home?"

"Yes, but I really have no want to talk about this right now…"

Soul turned his head to look over at the sad girl but when he did she had already began walking again.

* * *

"It wasn't a coincidence, was it? Mauri coming here," Kidd sat his right leg on top of the other after sitting in his father's wooden throne-like chair. He rested his elbows on the arm rests and linked his fingers together before bringing his hands to his mouth, covering it as he spoke. His father stood steps away, not looking over at his son as he spoke, "What's her real reason here, Otosan- -?"

Just then, the phone rang, cutting Kidd off and stealing his father away from his important question. "'Ello?" the shinigami answered. Kidd sat silently, listening and watching his father closely to find any hints of who he might be talking to. "Oh," the man finally spoke, "Well my son is right here; would you like to ask him? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to…yes. Yes, I'll pass him the phone," the man pulled the phone away from his ear and turned to face his son, "Kiddo, the phone's for you."

The boy's eyes widened as he slowly lowered his hands from his mouth, "Who is it?" He stood up from his seat and began to walk over to the tall man without taking his eyes off his father.

"He's a friend, but not one you know yet."

Kidd stopped in front of his father and stared at the phone in his hand. "Take the phone, Kiddo. Don't be rude."

Kidd swallowed before taking the phone, "Hello?" he answered slowly.

"Kidd-kun is it?" the voice was clear, "It's nice to finally meet you," the man's voice was sincere.

"Who is this?" _*And how do you know me?*_, Kidd thought, feeling uncomfortable for some unknown reason. The sound of this man's voice didn't fall right with him.

"This is Wes, Maka-kun's violin instructor."

Kidd's eyes widened. He needed to tighten his grip on the phone or it would have fallen to the floor at his feet. He was speechless because he really didn't know what to say.

"Hello? Are you still there? Kidd-ku- -."

"Yes. I'm here," he quickly answered, eyes narrowed.

Wes chuckled but even that made Kidd feel strange, "Good, I thought the call dropped a moment there… Well anyways, I was calling to ask a favor."

"I'm listening."

"Good. I was wondering, if you're ok with it, if you could possibly bring Maka-kun's school work, if she has anything that is."

"Oh," he blinked, "Yes, I don't mind…" he replied, his heart fluttering a bit. "…But why don't you ask Soul- -?"

"Because I believe it would be better for them both if they didn't see each other anymore…what with their bond breaking and all…"

"Mmm…" Kidd replied, jaw clenching. "So, do I take it to your house or…?"

"Well, I was going to send my helper to go get it but I think it'll be good for Maka to see a familiar face," Wes spoke lightly.

Kidd could hear him smiling as he spoke, "Uh, yes, I agree. So, may I have your address- -?"

"No, that won't be necessary."

"Huh? But how else will I- -?"

"I'll send my helper to get you. He should be there in about…five minutes, is that enough time?"

Kidd was taken aback, "Oh…you don't have to do that. I can ride my board Beelzebub…"

"Oh no, please Kidd-kun, I wouldn't dream of making you do such a thing. Please, allow me to do this kind thing for you for making you go out of your way and all…"

Kidd wanted to object but in all honesty it was going to be the same outcome because he was going to find out where Maka was in the end. "Mm," he nodded, "I'll be outside waiting then…"

* * *

"Jeez, I can't believe that Shinigami…" Soul growled to himself as he gritted his teeth together as he walked down the empty street with Mauri following close behind.

"_Scusa_ Soul-kun…I did not…I mean…I was not aware- -."

"**Just. Stop.**" Soul cut Mauri off with his firm words, causing the young girl to stop and flinch.

_*How did it come to this? What was he thinking?*_ Soul thought to himself as he tightened his fists.

_"Thank you for showing her around, especially in such a short notice, Soul-kun." Shinigami-sama thanked an upset Soul._

_"Yeah…well, I'm taking off." He turned towards the hallway exit. "See ya Mauri," he bid farewell to his classmate with only a side glance._

_"Oh, wait a minute Soul-kun."_

_"Mmm? What is it now?" he looked back at the shinigami over his shoulder._

_"I have one more request of you."_

_"Eh? You don't say?" Soul turned around, a bit annoyed._

_"Well, Mauri-chan is new here."_

_"…Yeah. And?"_

_The shinigami sighed, "I originally had a place set up for her to stay but I was informed that the location was recently flooded by a ruptured pipe and won't be usable until a couple of days from now…"_

_Soul's hand twitched, "And you're telling me this because…?"_

_"Because I need you to offer your apartment to her, just for these few days that her room is fixed."_

_"What? No, I can't do that Shinigami-sama!" Soul screamed with wide eyes._

_"Please, signore, I do not require him to offer a place for me. Soul-kun has already done enough for me. I thank him and could not bare to ask anything more of him," Mauri voiced her discomfort._

_"Besides, I don't think she'd be comfortable living under the same roof as a guy. She can sleep in the other female dorms, can't she?" Soul tried to get out of this predicament._

_"I'm sorry but all the other rooms are full because Mauri's room wasn't the only one who was flooded…all the rooms are crowded. This is the only way, if you are comfortable with it Mauri-chan." The shinigami looked down at the young girl._

_"Ah…well, I do not mind…you see I am the only daughter in my famiglia, so being in a house with only un ragazzo, well, it's like paradise." The girl laughed lightly._

_"There Soul-kun, all is settled then."_

"Kami, why?" Soul screamed out after replaying what had just happened again in his head. There wasn't much of a choice for him; it was either do it or do it. That was it, no fighting it. Not after the shinigami told him to stop trying to go against his orders. Shinigami was a fun and easy person to get along with that it was almost hard to believe that he was once a feared warrior. It took a lot to get him to speak with that serious tone and Soul had managed to do so twice in less than a day. As much as he wanted to tell the man off about his "orders" he couldn't, not unless he wanted to risk losing Maka for even longer time than needed.

Soul finally stopped walking with a defeated sigh. "Mauri…look, I don't…hate you for **you**…it's just…you met me at the wrong time…" Soul finally explained, trying hard to hold in his emotions.

"I understand…" she muttered quietly. Moments passed and a slight breeze blew right by them before she spoke again, "I am sure she is fine…your meister I mean…"

Soul's eyes widened a moment, "Heh, thanks." He whispered before walking again.

Mauri smiled warmly before running to catch up to him. They both continued to walk without a word said between the two, enjoying the setting sun who seemed like he didn't want to set just yet.

"So…were you born in Italy? Or did you just grow up there?" Soul finally decided to ask without looking over at the girl.

Mauri gave him a side glance and saw him blushing a bit, making her smile. "Yes, I was born in Rome and that is where I have lived all my ivita/i…until now that is," she chuckled sadly.

"Oh, so is all your family over there as well? No one over here?" Soul finally looked down at her.

She shook her head slowly. "Is it not sad? The first time I travel out of my country and I have no allies over here…" her eyes began to tear up.

"Hey, that's not true. You're here in Death City, attending Shibusen, I'd say you've got all the allies you'll ever need."

Mauri blinked before looking up at the weapon. She looked into his crimson eyes and knew he wasn't lying. "_Grazie_," she sniffled.

"Still, I can't understand why they would let you come…Your family i mean." Soul brought his attention back to the road in front of him.

"Well, my _famiglia_ has a generation of strong meister and weapon blood running deep in our roots. It is actually funny because I am related to one of Shinigami-sama's Death Scythes." She smiled proudly.

"You don't say?" Soul looked over at the girl with interest. He whistled when she nodded in response. "Which one? What's his or her name?"

"_Giorgio Napolitano_," she pronounced his name with a perfect, flowing Italian accent. "He is also the president of _Italia_."

"All of it?" Soul's eyes widened in disbelief.

"_Sì_," she smiled proudly.

"Whoa, so you're very valuable to your family…I still can't understand why they would let you leave even more now."

"Because my great uncle believed that someone should go and demonstrate proudly the meister or weapon blood that runs through the Napolitano blood. But not only that, but my uncle also is worried that in his old age, he might be a symbol of weakness in the eyes of his fellow Death Scythes. Well, even in his age, he is still known as _"Il principe rosso"_, "The Red Prince" by our people." Her eyes shown with pride, "I need to show Shinigami-sama that my _famiglia_ can still produce Death Scythes of the future." Her eyes became fierce and determined as she spoke. Soul could feel the fire and determination radiating from her being.

"Wow…you must have a lot of pride."

Mauri's concentration broke, "O-Oh. Yes," her cheeks flushed.

"What was your partner's name…if you don't mind me asking…"

Mauri slowly lowered her eyes, "_Santiago_…it means 'sacred' in Latin. He was a claymore and very strong…" she spoke with a sad voice.

"Why did you leave him? I'm sure you didn't do it to show off your pride."

"No, I do not think so either…"

* * *

"Ah, welcome Kidd-kun," Wes greeted the slender boy as soon as he walked into the house.

Kidd watched as the tall white haired man walked over to him and shook his hand. "Hello, Wesu-san. It's nice to finally meet."

"Likewise," Wes smiled. "And thank you very much for bringing Maka-kun her school work, I wouldn't want her to fall behind."

Kidd studied the man, "Neither would I."

"Oh but I do wish things were different…"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well, with Maka living here, going to school, the bond breaking, and trying to put that concert together I feel like we're still putting her under a lot of pressure still." Wes looked up the stairs towards Maka's room. "Shinigami-sama did this to prevent all of this and yet Maka-chan refuses to stop going to school."

Kidd's hand twitched, "Why would she stop?"

"Think about it Kidd-kun, wouldn't you want Maka-kun in the best mental condition before she went and had to see Soul-kun again?" Wes whispered quietly.

Kidd studied his expression. What the man was saying wasn't outrageous, he knew it was the truth. Soul already looked like a wreck from everything but if they were to meet in the current condition they were in, there was no telling what might happen.

"All I'm asking is that you please try to persuade her to understand. Can you do that? For Maka-kun?"

Kidd watched the man closely and thought a moment. "…I'll give it a shot."

* * *

"Come in," Maka called without taking her eyes off her music sheet.

The door slowly opened to reveal a quiet Kidd. "I'm sorry, I know I'm interrupting…"

"Kiddo!" Maka instantly threw her violin on her bed before running to her friend and hugging him. "What are you doing here?" she finally released him.

Kidd was so caught off guard with her forwardness that he almost didn't answer her. "O-Oh. Wesu-san asked me to bring you your school work for you."

"Wow, really? Thank you," she took the papers from him and placed them on her desk. "…So I guess Soul couldn't bring them…?" her voice became low.

Kid noticed her eyes turning sad and empty. "O-Oh no, it wasn't that. It's just that we thought it would be better this way. So you guys don't have to stress over seeing each other."

"Oh, I see." Maka slowly brought her head up and gave him a weak smile. "I'm still happy you brought it. Where are Liz and Patty?"

"They couldn't come; they had detention."

"Again? What did they do this time?" Maka chuckled.

"…Oi…Maka."

"Huh?" she stopped her laughing.

Kidd looked at the floor in front of his feet, "Why don't you take this week of school off?"

"What? Why? You can't be serious," Maka's eyebrows came together defensively.

"I am, please Maka. I'm just…worried about you- -."

"So is everyone else!" she exploded. "I'm tired of everyone telling me they're worried about me! I'm fine! I just…!" her voice broke as she fought back the need to sob. "…I want to see him…" she lowered her head in time to shield her tearing eyes.

"Maka, this request isn't just for you…it's for Soul too."

Her head shot up instantly, "What do you mean…? Is he alright? Is he hurt? Please, you have to tell me- -!" she grabbed his arms in a tight and shaky hold.

"No, he's not hurt," he quickly reassured her. "…But he isn't doing well mentally…I will admit that…Soul…doesn't seem the same…we're afraid that if you two were to see each other, even for a moment, you wouldn't be able to handle it…" he spoke the truth. He was afraid of losing his friends to this. "If you want to do Soul some good, you might want to take time away…If not indefinitely…" he quietly confessed.

Maka slowly let go of him and walked towards her bed and quietly sat down. "…has he gotten a new partner…?" she asked without taking her eyes off the floor.

Kid hesitated. "No…I don't believe so." He half lied.

"…Do you think that if he got a new one…he'll recover sooner…?"

Kid was taken aback by her question, "I'm not sure…but I would imagine so." It hurt him to admit it but he wanted her safe; he wanted them both safe.

"I see…" she turned and looked out the window.

"Maka…you still have time to fix things…don't give up, ok?" he walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders before kneeling down before the young meister. "Perfect this. Fix things. But most importantly, don't give up so easily."

Maka slowly looked down at her friend just as a tear fell from her eye down her cheek. "…Did Shinigami-sama tell you to say that…?"

Kid flinched. "…No, he didn't. Just as you aren't your mother or your father, I too am not my father. You of all people should know what it's like to live in someone else's shadow…" he firmly answered as he wiped away her tear. "So break out of that shadow…and prove that you can beat this."

Maka chuckled, "You're right…I can't let this beat me." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand before standing up with Kidd following her lead. "Thank you Kiddo, you've snapped me out of my trance and gave me what I needed to continue." She smiled in determination. Like my momma said to me before; _"Shaja'at"_

_*That's the Maka I know*_ he smirked. "So, are you going to take the week off?"

"Nope," she smiled.

"Huh?" he blinked in confusion, "but I thought- -."

"I'm not going back to school. Not until I perfect this." She gave him a determined glance.

Kidd blinked a couple of times before laughing, "I see, well best of luck then."

"Thanks."

"You know, you can always live with the girls and me. I mean if you don't mind the yelling and my OCPD…"

Maka slowly shook her head, "No, its fine Kiddo. I'm gracious for your offer but I'll be ok. I'll get through this," she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before turning her head so her lips were barely grazing the skin of his ear, causing the boy to stiffen. "Tell Soul; 'iDon't give up/i'" she whispered with a smile before giving him a light kiss on his cheek.

* * *

"Well, I thought you two weren't ever going to ever come out of that room," Wes chuckled, making Kidd fluster bright red. "Hmm? Why so red Kidd-kun?" he poked fun with Maka laughing along. "Oh, Maka, can you do me a quick favor and tell Mr. Napa to start dinner?"

"Oh, sure."

"Would you like to stay and eat? We're having a pretty big feast tonight, care to join us?" Wes offered with a smile.

"No thank you, I have to get back to my weapons. If I leave them alone for too long, they'll think they have free time to do what they please…" he informed with a tired expression.

"Ok, I'll be right back," Maka turned and ran towards the kitchen.

"Kidd-kun?" Wes spoke as soon as Maka left the room and out of ears reach.

"Huh, yes?" Kidd looked up at the man.

"I think it would be wise if you were to keep whatever messages Maka may give to you to give to Soul-kun to yourself."

Kidd narrowed his eyes, "And why would I do that?"

"Because, if you think about it, it'll be the same as if she were telling him herself, and that could cause damage." Kidd continued to watch that man as he lowered his face to be eye level with the meister, "You want both of your friends safe, don't you?" he asked with a smile.

"Ok, I'm back." Maka came running.

"Thank you. Well, it was very nice to finally meet you Kidd-kun. Hope to see you again," Wes bid as he opened the door for Kidd.

"Bye Kiddo! Tell Liz and Patty I said 'hi'!" Maka waved excitedly as he walked down the stairs.

"Will do," he turned and waved but something caught his eye that almost made him stop. When he looked back at Wes, he could have sworn he saw a glimmer of a wicked smile painted on Wes' face.


	22. Pleasure

**A/N: Hey, thanks to those who left me wonderful reviews! I love reading them ^^ lol Just a fair warning, there is a bit of...smut? in this chapter. But it's NOT THAT BAD. ;A; I promise lol. Just a heads up ^^ Enjoy~Mizu**

* * *

The quietly laughing sun slowly crept into the young girl's room as she slept soundly in her warm bed. It was the light that finally brought her emeralds to flutter open slowly, but rather the empty silence. She slowly sat up while blinking, trying hard to get her eyes to focus and adjust to the sensitive light. A sudden yawn escaped her mouth as she slowly pulled her blankets away from her body and slipped her legs over the edge of the bed before standing up.

Her bare feet felt good on the short carpet. She couldn't help but lift her hands above her head and stretch long. The young girl walked over towards her dresser and began pulling out her underwear when she caught a glimpse of her reflection; causing her to grimace. Her hair was untidy and sticking out in different directions that brushing it was out of the question it seemed. She let out a defeated sigh, "Guess I should take a shower," she muttered. She quickly grabbed her clothing for the new day before heading out the door.

The silence of the house made a slight shiver run up her spine. She looked down the hall and listened for any sound that would tell her that someone other than her was alive in the mansion. But no matter how hard she listened, no sound could be heard but her fearful heartbeat.

She finally gave up after she checked all of the rooms and didn't find anyone else. She almost gave a sigh of relief because it meant she could act freely and she didn't have to be nervous all the time. Even though Wes didn't intimidate her as much as he used to, she still felt an unknown vibe from him that made her want to watch her step.

_*Maybe I'm just being too rough on him…he's helping me make up for the mistakes I've made and not only that but he was even nice enough to offer his house to me…I have no reason to be cautious about him…*_

_**"Maka…"**_

Soul's distant voice rand in her head, making her turn and look for him frantically as if he had really called out to her. Her eyes scanned around, trying hard to find any glimpse of the white haired boy but to no avail.

**_"Maka, Wes isn't a good man…I've seen things…that he's capable of…"_**

Soul's voice rang in her head so clearly it was as if he was right in front of her. "But…he hasn't done anything to show me that…" she whispered, arguing with the fading memory. She frowned but quickly pushed it away before it could hurt her anymore.

The young meister started towards the bathroom to take her shower when she paused in front of the door, just inches from the handle. _'I haven't taken a bath in ages it seems…I wonder if any of the bathrooms other than Wes' has one…'_ she thought to herself with a slight smile. Why not? No one was around to find out, so it wouldn't be bad if she took a quick relaxing bath.

With a grin she turned and walked down the hall towards Wes' master bedroom and cracked the door open slowly. The sweet scent of the man hit Maka's nose hard; causing her to take a long inhale of his aroma. She quickly poked her head in and scanned the room.

It was much more spacey than Maka's but she wouldn't know what to do with all the space if she had his room. Heck, she didn't even know what to do with the room she had now. She glanced at his bed and found it to be nicely made and wrinkle free, as if no one had ever slept in it.

Maka's smile slowly crept across her face as she quickly walked through his room and headed for his bathroom. She slid the door open that led her into the changing room that separated the bedroom and the actual bathroom. It was the area to remove your clothing and place it in the dirty laundry basket before entering the bathroom.

She quickly pulled her shirt over her head before she was going to place it neatly on the floor beside the laundry basket when something caught her eye. Inside the basket was Wes' nightwear along with his underwear. She paused and stared at the clothing for a moment and thought.

_*Huh…I guess he must have taken a bath before he left…*_ she thought to herself before placing her shirt down.

Just as the piece of clothing left her hand, the bathroom door slid open to reveal a partially naked Wes. Maka looked over at the man and stared silently as Wes stared back at her blinking multiple times before speaking.

"Oh…good morning."

Maka finally snapped out of her trance and let out a squeal as she quickly turned away from the man, covering her chest with her hands. "I-I-I'm so sorry! I-I-I didn't know you were- -! I-I-I mean…I didn't mean to- -!"

"Maka, Maka! It's ok," he took a slight step towards the embarrassed girl with his hands up in front of his chest, palms facing her defensively. "These kind of things happen," he chuckled, "Just be glad I have a towel on."

Maka's face turned a deeper shade of red. Even though it was just for an instant, she could remember the details of his bare body well. His skin color was perfect all over his body. His bare chest was well toned and perfect. He didn't have a six pack but his stomach was flat with a hint of his abs hiding just beneath the surface of his skin. She felt the strange urge to trace her fingers lightly along his collar bone and she didn't know why. "I-I'm sorry, I'll get out of here." She quickly said, tripping over her words as she was heading towards the door in a rush.

Wes continued to chuckle lightly, "You know you don't have to go if you don't want to."

Maka stopped, eyes widened as she slowly turned to look at the man over her shoulder, "…Why would you say that?"

Wes stopped laughing but still spoke through a smile, "I told you before, I'm not one of the adults who run in your life Maka. I wouldn't mind if our relationship became more than what it already is."

The young girl blinked. She did remembered him telling her that and how it made something deep inside of her burn with excitement.

"You are your own woman; no one is here to judge you. But hey, if you don't want to, I won't force you. I'll drop it and never make the suggestion ever again." He spoke as he turned away from her and grabbed his pants before slipping them on underneath his damp towel. She quickly turned away with red cheeks but returned her gaze to the man after she heard him finish slipping on his pants. He slung the towel behind his neck before walking past her towards the door.

The tall man felt a small hold on his towel that held him from leaving the room. He slowly turned and faced the quiet girl who had her eyes on the ground.

Her arm quivered slightly, "…Please…don't leave…" she whispered, barely loud enough for him to even hear.

"You don't need to force yourself, Maka. These things will come naturally…" his voice trailed off when he noticed her hand quivering. "What's wrong?" the question left his mouth in an instant without hesitation. He watched as a couple of tears fell straight from her eyes straight to the ground. He was taken aback by her tears but slowly began to understand. He gently took her chin in his hand before slowly tilting it up so that he could see her eyes.

Maka stared back at him with a pair of sad eyes that would make the poorest of men cry. Wes' eyebrows came together in sympathy. "Oh, please don't cry Maka," he pleaded with sad eyes before leaning in and kissing her briefly on her lips, "hasn't anyone told you your too beautiful to cry?" he pulled her into his arms, feeling her light sobs ripple throughout her body.

She shut her eyes tightly, trying desperately to force the endless waves of pain and sadness to go away and never come back, but they didn't. Each wave was crashing against the walls of her heart, slowly breaking them down until they finally reached her beating rhythm and in turn over whelming her with sadness so could no longer hold inside. She finally let her sobs take over and she cried hard in his chest, "I miss Soul…"

The man tightened his hold on her tiny body, as if she would break if he held her any other way. "It'll be ok love…" he tried to reassure her as he ran his hand up and down her back. "This will pass…" he uttered with narrowed eyes that were unseen to her.

Maka finally pulled away from him after a moment, wiping away her tears with an embarrassed laugh, "I'm sorry…for always…crying…Shihan" she spoke between calming sobs. "I know I'm childish…for crying over this."

Wes silently watched the girl as she continued to wipe her tears away. "Are you afraid of being alone?"

The young girl flinched. She was a bit speechless by his sudden and forward question, she almost didn't answer him. "…I guess I am…"

He stayed quiet a moment. "I can stay and keep you company…" he offered.

The meister froze as her eyes widened a moment before she shook her head with flushed cheeks, "Um…it's ok Shihan. You don't have to…I know it's not right for you to do such a thing." She fidgeted with her fingers as she looked away from the man in embarrassment because she was the one who asked him to stay with her earlier.

Just then, Wes began to laugh, making Maka jump at its sudden sound that rang throughout the room. "I didn't mean inside the bath. I meant while you take your bath, I can stay out here in this room so you don't have to be lonely." He spoke through a smile.

The young girl finally mustered enough courage to look the man in his eyes as he laughed freely. She watched as his perfect face seemed so peaceful and happy. His beautiful blue eyes were gently hidden behind his eyelids as he continued to laugh. "Oi, Shihan?"

Wes slowly began to stop laughing to answer her, "Mm? Yes, what is it?" he smiled, trying hard to keep from laughing again.

"Y-You…look good when…you laugh…like that…" her voice trailed off, embarrassed about what she just said.

The man blinked, almost speechless by her honest. He slowly felt his cheeks getting warm by her simple sentence. He quickly closed his eyes and grinned, "Well, you look good with no shirt on," his grin got wider as his eyes opened playfully.

Maka instantly stiffened before covering herself and turning away from the man's stare. "Sh-Shihan!" her face flushed again.

Wes began to laugh again, "I'm only teasing."

The young girl's eyes opened wider a bit. She realized that if she continued to act the way she did, Wes wouldn't ever truly take her seriously. She wanted him to see her as a woman and not just a little girl. With determination on her face, she turned to face him with her hands into tight fists at her sides.

His laughter stopped, confused by her expression and actions.

_*If Blaire can to it…so can I! She's never shy and neither am I!*_ she thought before looking up at the man and taking a deep breath. "Will you join me in the bath?" she asked loudly with all her held breath, causing him to stare at her in disbelief. Maka didn't expect this kind of reaction from him, it made her face blush a deeper red and it difficult to fight the urge to turn away and cover herself.

It seemed like an eternity before Wes finally gave her a smirk, "Hold on a moment. I'll be right back, I have to get something." He spoke through a grin before slipping out of the room, leaving the girl mortified.

**_*BAKA!*_** she screamed in her head as she hit her forehead again and again. _*Why did I say that? Have I gone mad?*_ she continued to scream at herself as she paced the room. _*Oh Shinigami, what on Earth could he have left to go get- -? Unless its- -!*_ Maka's pacing instantly stopped when she thought about something that scared her. _*W-What if he went to get a **condom**?*_ she through her hands in her hair when the thought rang in her head. _*Oh Kami! Please don't let it be that!*_ she pleaded as she ran around the room, hands in her hair and shaking her head left and right.

"A-Are you alright?" Wes' question scared the girl and made her freeze in her place.

"O-Oh! Y-Yes I'm fine!" she stuttered, forcing a convincing smile but knew she failed. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the fabric objects that he was holding in his hands, "What's that?"

"Well, since you were so bold enough to offer I thought I should make things easier for you and brought you a pair of swim outfits." He answered as he held the two outfits up for her to see.

One was just a plain blue one-piece swim suit. It almost looked like the one schools issued their student for swim class. Then there was the cute pink plaid two-piece outfit that made her heart sink. Her eyebrow twitched as she looked from one to the other, as if being insulted by his choices. "I didn't know which one you preferred so I got them both so you can pick. Unless if you're brave enough to wear neither one," he grinned.

Maka blushed again, taking the two-piece before storming out the room to change, making Wes laugh again.

* * *

Soul's eyes slowly opened with the slight sound from outside his room. He propped himself up on his elbow as he rubbed his eyes with the other hand, trying to identify who or what was making that sound. Then his eye widened and his body stiffened. _*C-Could it be…?*_ he thought before pulling the blankets off his body and attempting to run out his room but was held in bed. "Gah!" he let out before looking over at his bed, "B-B-Blaire?" he screamed when he saw the woman lying down close to him in bed with her arms wrapped around his waist. "Wh-What the hell are you- -?"

"A strange girl is out there! I don't know why she's or who she is Soul-kun," she quietly yelled at him as if the foreign girl scared her.

Soul blinked, "Girl? What do you- -?" his voice trailed off before everything came back to him in one big wave. He remembered who it was that was outside his door, "…She's a new student at my school…her name is Mauri Napolitano…she's from Italy." He answered in monotone voice as he pulled out of her hold and walked towards his dresser.

"Eh? But why is she here? And where is Maka-chan? I went to her room and found her sleeping in her bed!" she pointed towards the door as if it were Mauri.

"Maka doesn't live here anymore…" he spoke with no emotion as he pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his bare back.

"W-What do you mean by that? Of course she does! This is here home! How could you let her leav- -?"

**"It wasn't my choice!"** Soul screamed at her, causing the woman to be silenced. He closed his eyes and took calming breaths before speaking again, "I'm sorry…it's just that…her leaving wasn't easy for me…neither is our bond that's slowly breaking…" he quietly spoke, slipping on his plain white shirt.

"Your…bond is breaking? But why…?"

"I can't explained right now…Just know that she's ok. I'll see her today maybe…she wasn't at school yesterday so maybe…today…" his voice was filled with so much sad hope it hurt Blaire to hear him say speak.

"You're making breakfast?"

The young girl turned to face the white haired boy, "Oh, yes. I hope I was not too loud." She smiled, "And I hope you are hungry."

"…You didn't need to do that. I was gonna make it."

Mauri gave him a small laugh that made his heart squeeze, "No, it is ok. It is the least I can do for what you do for me." She smiled warmly before returning her attention to the pan on the stove.

Soul quietly took his seat at the table and watched her in silence. Her short hair was pulled back in a tiny neat pony tail. He didn't think it was possible but it made her look more cute than normal. He noticed she was wearing Maka's cooking apron on top of her black tang top and skinny jeans. He remembered how Maka would always wear the apron when ever she's cook for the both of them every single day. His expression slowly fell and turned into a distant and depressed one.

"_Ehi_, what is the matter?"

Mauri's sudden question pulled him from this blank stare into the past and made him look over at her briefly before looking away, "Nothin'…"

The young girl frowned a bit quickly replaced it with another smile, "Here, I hope you like." She placed a warm plate of scrambled eggs, three pieces of beacon, and two buttered toast slices in front of him.

Soul blinked in surprise, "Wow. This looks prefect."

"_Grazie_," she blushed slightly as she took a seat to the right of him at the edge of the table.

He didn't pick up his fork to start eating because something was calling him. He turned and looked over at Maka's ajar door. "…Did you sleep ok?"

Mauri paused eating to look at him before looking over at the door. "Yes, it was very comfortable." She smiled warmly before continuing eating.

Soul finally pulled his gaze away from the empty room and picked up his fork but hesitated over his food. "Hey…"

The young girl stopped eating and looked up at him, "Yes?"

Soul hesitated a moment, trying hard to figure out how to word his question, "Why did you…almost…kiss me…when we first met?" his face blushed a slight pink.

Mauri blinked at him a couple of times, confused by his question. "I never tried to kiss you."

"Yes you did. When we first met and I had to hold your face back…" he averted his eyes to the window, feeling his face reddening.

The girl looked like she was searching her memories for that particular moment in her memories, "Oh!" her eyes widened, "No, I was not trying to kiss you." She laughed.

Soul instantly brought his eyes back to the laughing girl, "Then what was that?" he almost felt like screaming at her for causing him his embarrassment.

"I was just trying to kiss your cheek."

"That's still kissing!" he face flushed again before he turned away from her. "…Why would you want to kiss my cheek anyways?"

"It is how we greet in iItalia/i. We kiss on the cheek but in different way."

Soul's eyebrows came together in confusion, "How so?"

"Well," she paused, thinking a moment, "It is hard to explain. I would have to show you."

Soul felt his heart skip a beat. He hesitated without saying a word for a long moment. He finally turned to sit facing her before nodding.

The young girl stood from her seat before walking around the small table to stand right in front of him. She slowly pulled her hair over her right ear as she leaned her face close to his.

The nervous weapon had to fight his urge to pull away from her and hold still. He never noticed it before but from this close range he finally noticed that her eyes were a warm brown color, like honey. He felt her warmth radiating from her skin before their cheeks made contact with each other. Her lips pursed to the right so that they made brief contact with his smooth skin before pulling away from him with a smile. "Like that."

Soul couldn't speak because his words were lost. His eyes were glued to her face as she continued to smile at him. He quickly snapped himself out of his dumb founded trance and shook his head. "O-Oh that? That ain't a kiss." He tried hard to sound unaffected by her action but knew he failed.

"I told you," she smiled. "I am glad you understand." She sat back down, picked up her fork, and began to eat with a playful smile.

* * *

"I-I'm ready…" Maka's voice was muffled by the bath room door that separated her and the tall white haired man.

"Ok, I'm coming in then," Wes replied, hesitating behind the door a moment to let her ready herself. He finally slid the door open to find Maka sitting in the large swimming-pool-like bath, nervous and scared. The girl finally gathered enough courage to look back at the advancing man.

He was wearing a pair of dark blue swim trunks that fit him perfectly around his waist. His belly button was inches above his shorts and it gave him a very sexy look that made Maka flush. She looked away as he took a seat close to her on the edge of the bath so that his legs dangled in the warm water.

"Is the water ok?"

Maka almost jumped at his question. "Y-Yes. It's perfect." She tried hard to steady her pounding heart.

"That bikini looks good on you." Wes complemented.

"D-Do you have any shampoo that I can use?" she ignored his comment but couldn't face him because she was extremely embarrassed.

Wes chuckled. "Yes, the shampoos are all over there," he pointed at the right wall that was barely visible through the steam that filled the room. "Feel free to use any one of them."

"Thank you." She looked at his large selection. "Oh, by any chance do you have a…"

"Wash cloth?"

Maka looked over at him and found a small wash cloth in his hand. "Oh…yes." She took it from his extended hand. "Where is the soap?" she asked after looking around for a bar of soap or a bottle of liquid soap.

"Oh, shoot. I forgot I dropped it in the water and didn't pick it up. Here let me get it, it's just right there," he pointed near Maka as he got up.

"Oh, don't worry about it, I'll get it." She got off her seat and held her breath before submerging herself in the warm water. She opened her eyes and found a light green bottle at the bottom of the tub before picking it up. She came up with a small splash before clearing the water from her face. "Is this it?" she held the bottle up for him to see.

"Yes, that's it." He smiled.

She moved back to her spot and took the wash cloth in her hand. "I've never seen such a big bath tub before. It almost reminds me of a Bath House."

"Well, I always liked those Bath Houses so I decided to get one of my own." He silently responded as he watched her run the wash cloth over her arms.

They were quiet while she continued to wash herself. She finally decided to choose a shampoo that made her hair smell like melon and rubbed it in her hair, making it foamy and filled the room with its melon scent. She went under the water after she was done scrubbing her hair to rinse it. She slowly came up and shook her head to shake the water out of her hair. "I'm jealous of your bath, Wes-shihan." She laughed, expecting him to respond but heard nothing. She turned to look over at where he was sitting but he was gone. "Shihan…?" she looked around the large and foggy room but found no trace of him, making her heart skin in her stomach. Just then a tight grip held onto her thigh, causing her to scream on the top of her lungs and pull away from the unknown touch.

Wes came shooting up from the water, laughing. "Maka, it's ok! It's just me!" he laughed as he shook the water from his hair.

Maka's face was pale and filled with fear before turning red and angry. "Don't do that! I thought something happened to you! You're so mean!" she screamed at him before turning away from him.

"Oh come now. It was all in good fun," he chuckled. "here, let me get your back."

The meister looked back at him, "Huh?"

"Your back. You haven't washed it yet. Let me get it for you since I know you can't reach it," he stepped towards her with his hand extended out to take the cloth.

Maka hesitated a moment but finally she gave him the cloth.

"Thank you," he took the cloth from her before pouring some of the liquid soap onto it. He walked past her and sat down where she was originally sitting. "Come here," he called her.

She took a steady breath before walking over towards him and turning her back to him so that he could begin washing it.

His movement was gentle and soft, nothing like she expected it was going to be. Everywhere he touched lighted a fire underneath her skin and it sent waves of pleasure radiating throughout her body. She shivered when he would run the cloth from the top of her spine to the bottom. The young girl was so caught up in his touch that she let a small moan escape from her mouth. Her eyes widened and her hands covered her mouth instantly before she pulled away from him.

Wes smiled as he chuckled; "Now that's what I meant when I said 'it'll come naturally'. Don't be embarrassed, you can enjoy it. Go with it."

The young girl stayed quiet and frozen. Embarrassed of the fact she did want it to continue. "Come here," he called her again with his free hand extended to her. Slowly, she lowered one of her hands from her mouth and took his before letting him pull her back in place with her back facing him once more. He slowly began to wash her back as she silently moaned but soon they were too hard to keep quiet and soon she was making herself be heard.

Wes' blood slowly began to heat up with each sound of her moan and he wanted more from her, so much more. He ran his hands over her back to her flat stomach and back again; earning more intense moans from her with each slide of hand.

She felt her head spinning out of control from her heavy breathing. She was growing so close to the man that it was almost as if they were accomplishing a Soul Resonance. She couldn't stop herself any longer and it was all too soon that she found herself turning to face the man and capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. She hungrily wrapped her arms around his neck as she straddled him.

For a moment Wes didn't move, shocked by her bold actions. But he couldn't resist her for very long because for someone who was supposed to know nothing of this sort of thing, Maka Albarn was getting the job done. He pulled her closer to his body, wanting her to be so much closer to him that he wanted them to be one. He kissed her back hard before slipping his tongue in her mouth and tasting her sweet kiss. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist as she began to slowly grind herself again him, earning a sharp inhale from the both of them. This young girl was making him go crazy all over and he liked it.

_*No…this **woman**…*_ he corrected himself before growling into her mouth. His hands slowly went up his back to untie her top, causing her body to freeze and her eyes to widen. She instantly pulled away from him and covered her mouth again.

"What's wrong?" he studied her terrified expression.

"I-I need to go. I-I need to practice." She quickly stammered before jumping out of the bath and running out the room, leaving a difficultly lost Wes.


	23. One in a Million

The busy hallways seemed small to Soul as he walked through the parting sea of onlookers with Mauri close behind him.

_"Who is that girl?"_

_"Where's Maka-kun? She's been gone for a while…"_

_"Do you think that they…?"_

_"I can't believe it. I never thought Soul was **that** type of man…"_

Soul felt he couldn't take the many whispers of the gossipers any more. _*They don't know what's going on…they don't know the truth…*_ he tried desperately to ignore their many whispers as he bit his tongue to try to keep himself from going off on everyone around him.

_"I guess Maka didn't give him what he **needed**…"_

_*That's it!*_ Soul whirled around to tell the person who said that off but was pulled back by his collar.

"Oi! Soul, where's Maka?" Black*Star screamed.

Soul pulled out of the blue haired boy's hold and looked back at the gossipers but all too quickly they looked away. "…She's not in class yet? What time is it?"

Tsubaki looked at her watch, "Ten minutes 'til class starts…She isn't with you?" the woman's expression became confused.

Soul shook his head slowly with gently shut eyes. _*I wonder if she's coming at all…*_

"Oi, who's this?" Black*Star pointed at Mauri, who was standing behind Soul without a word.

The white haired boy looked over his shoulder at her, "Oh, that's Mauri Napolitano. She came from Italy."

Black*Star whistled in amazement, "Why ya here for? Are ya a weapon of meister?" he shot all his questions all too quickly at her with a step towards her for each one he asked.

"U-Uh…" Mauri nervously took a step back. "I am here to prove my family's worth…And I am a meister."

"You seem nervous," he grinned, "I know I'm intimidating but don't worry, we're on the same team. So you don't havta fear going up against a God-like meister like me!" he laughed loudly. "I'm Black*Star and this is my weapon Tsubaki," he pointed behind him at the quiet woman.

"Hello there Mauri-kun," Tsubaki waved with a smile.

"Oh, hello there. It is very nice to meet you both," she waved back with the same smile.

"So why is it that you don't know where Maka-chan is?" Tsubaki asked Soul.

Soul lowered his gaze, "It's a long story…"

Quietly from a far Death the Kidd continued to stare at the four students with narrow eyes.

**_"Tell Soul, 'Don't give up.'"_**

Maka's distant voice rang in his head as the sight of Soul and the new girl began to sicken him. _*How can he be so easy going when Maka is beating herself up over everything?*_ he gritted his teeth in slight anger.

"Oi, Kiddo," Liz broke his trance, "why don't we go over and say hi?" she looked down at the boy.

"Hmph, I have more important things to do…" he answered as he turned and walked away.

* * *

"Alright, we have a new student joining us today," Professor Stein lazily told his class as he gestured to Mauri who stood only a couple of steps away from him. "Whenever you're ready…" he walked away from her and took his seat in his famous rolling chair behind his desk.

"Um…_Ciao_, my name is Mauri Napolitano, I came from Rome, Italy where I was born and live all my life," she began to tell her story.

Soul stared off as she continued to introduce herself to the class. His thoughts were elsewhere; with Maka. _*Where could she be…? I don't understand…Could it have something to do with Wes?*_ the thought scared him because it was a big possibility. His brother was a smart man; he could easily commit a crime right in front of you and still be able to convince you it was you who did it. _*He's tricking her…he's using his dirty tricks to get her to listen to him!*_

"At the moment, Soul-kun is letting me stay at his apartment." Mauri looked up towards the oblivious weapon.

"Huh? Wait, what?" he was caught off guard looking around and found everyone starring at him. "What?" he angrily barked.

"Is it true Mauri-chan is staying with you at your apartment?" Stein re-asked the question with a bit of interest.

"- -!" his face turned crimson, "O-Only because Shinigami-sama said so! Until the girl's dorms are finished she's going to be staying at my place…" he looked away, trying hard to sound nonchalant.

"Alright then…You may take your seat wherever there is an empty spot," Stein gestured towards the empty seats near the back of the class.

"Thank you," she bowed before walking up the stairs past Soul to her seat without a glance at each other.

"Alright, well it's great that you're here for this Mauri-kun. Today we're going to try something new. As all of you may know, I am only one in a few who can wield any weapon without any complication. Now, I want to see if anyone else here can wield or be wielded by someone other than their original partner." He explained as he twisted the screw ever so slowly. So today we're going to try and find out so let's head out," he instructed with a wide grin as his students slowly following his lead.

"Um…Professor Stein…?" a young girl ran to walk next to the older man.

"Mmm?" he glanced sideways at her.

"Well…why are we doing this? Don't both Weapon and Technician get hurt from each other's wavelength?" she asked with fear behind her question.

Stein smirked, "Doesn't being a Meister entitle that there will be pain along the way?" he chuckled, giving the girl shivers.

Soul continued to walk behind the large group with his hands in his pockets and his head low. He didn't need to turn around to see Mauri was close behind, following him for comfort. He wouldn't mind the girl following him much if everyone else wasn't thinking the worst of them both.

_"Look…they're together again…"_

_"Figures…with Maka-kun gone…"_

Soul gritted his teeth in anger.

"Alright this is good enough," Stein stopped the group when they reached a wide open field a bit far from the school. "Now, I know you're all worried about getting hurt but as long as you release fast enough, the pain will be tolerable. The reason I'm having you do this is one day you all are going to be in battle and might be without your meister or weapon; you need to find out who else shares your wavelength so you know who you can pair up with. It could be a matter of life and death…so pick a partner other than your own."

Everyone began to look around nervously for someone to pair up with as they made small mutters. Soul stood still with his arms crossed across his chest, watching his class mates pairing up one by one. He couldn't help but grit his teeth at the sight. Every one of the meisters and weapons were screaming in pain from the rejecting electricity that flew into each of them.

"Soul-kun, what are you doing?" Stein stood behind the young boy, giving him an icy look.

Soul slowly looked up at the man with only one eye, matching his icy glare, "What?"

"Why aren't you doing the assignment?"

"'Cuz its bullshit, that's why…" he cursed in growing anger. "Besides, Maka ain't here so I can't…"

"Do the assignment Soul Eater," he ignored the boy's reason and took a threatening step towards him.

"No." he shot back instantly. "I don't want to risk it…besides the only one left is Mauri and her bond is broken too so it'll better the chances of us bonding. I ain't doin' it," Soul screamed back defensively.

**"Stop being such a child and do it."**

An image of Wes flashed in his mind for a brief moment, causing the boy to clench his teeth in seething anger.

"The chances are one in a million so get over yourself and do- -."

"I'm not willing to take that chance!"

Stein thrust his clawed hand into his stomach before sending a million volts throughout Soul's tiny body. The brute force of the man's wavelength shocking through his body caused the boy to spit up blood before crashing to the ground in a mess.

"W-What the fuck is your problem?" he screamed at the man, coughing up more blood. "Stop it!" he screamed when he saw the man coming again, trying hard to recover with labored breathing.

"You fool, just as easily as your bond was broken, it too can be stitched up again."

Soul's eyes opened wide.

"All I want is verification that you aren't one in a million alright?" the man took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long inhale to calm himself.

"…Soul-kun?"

Mauri's sudden voice made him blink and look at her, "What…?"

"Um…" she looked down at her fidgeting hands, "…m-maybe we should do what he says…just for a bit…like teacher said, it is not likely we can become partners right?" she whispered sadly.

Soul stared at her without a word. He didn't want to risk making a bond with someone else now that Maka and his was nothing more. But she was right, the chances of it actually working was slim. i*but am I really willing to take that chance…?"/i he thought as he balled his hands into tight fists before giving up with a sigh. "…You win," he breathed out before his body was covered in a bright white light. The light shot up in the air and floated a moment.

Mauri watched the ray of light taking its form and braced herself for the pain that was to come. She raised her hands up and caught the descending light covered scythe and was shocked the instant they made contact.

Soul felt the surge flow throughout his entire being, causing him to spit up new blood as he screamed in agony. Mauri tightly shut her eyes together as she screamed but she couldn't help tightening her grip on Soul.

_"Let go! You're hurting both of us!"_ he choked out in pain.

Mauri opened her eyes in determination and with a scream of battle, the pain ceased.

Everyone turned to find a panting Mauri holding Soul in a staggered pose; utter disbelief was painted on their faces. Mauri blinked before looking down to study Soul's weapon form.

His blade was red and black, separated by jagged edges that reminded her of his sharp teeth. A single crimson eye was at the base of the blade on the top of the handle. She looked him up and down, as if she had never seen such a thing before in her life.

_"Wow…"_ she breathed out in a low whisper.

Stein grinned, "See? That wasn't so bad now was it?"

The man's voice broke Mauri's trance on the weapon and she quickly released the boy as he flashed white just before returning to his human form. The two looked at each other but quickly turned away when they heard a distant piano playing in their souls.

* * *

"I think I see what's going on father…"

"What do you mean?"

"Mauri Napolitano. She's supposed to replace Maka, isn't she?"

"What are you talking about Kiddo?"

The raven haired boy continued to stare at his father with an expressionless face. "How long did you know that she was coming?" he narrowed his eyes slowly.

"I honestly didn't know until about a couple of days before she arrived here," the Shinigami defended himself.

"This can't be a conscience…did you set this up?" Kidd's heart beat quickened when the question left his lips.

"Son, please do not come into my room and start accusing me of certain things you do not understand." The tall man narrowed his eyes in silent anger. "Mauri-chan is a transfer student- -."

"This is too much to be called a conscience!" Kidd cut his father off with an angry scream.

The scream was followed by ringing silence before the shinigami spoke again, "No, its **fate**."

Kidd's expression changed, "Fate?" he almost spat the word as if it was a disease.

"I didn't know what was going to happen to Soul-kun once Maka-chan was taken from him but when Mauri-chan came, I had a bit of hope."

"But you already know there are only a few who can wield more than one weapon, let alone those who can do so without creating a bond like Professor Stein." The young boy stared in anger.

"I did not plan this Kiddo. Do you really think I want Maka-chan and Soul-kun to suffer?" the man's voice was low.

Kidd's anger was slowly fading but it didn't stop him from looking away in frustration. "…I just think…there should be another way…"

"…Life is never easy my son…You and I both know that well…"

* * *

"Oi…"

Soul's sudden voice brought Mauri back from her racing thoughts of what happened earlier between the two. "Yes?" she looked over at the serious boy as they continued to walk home.

"…I don't think you want to get used to it…I want to make things clear: Maka will always be my wielder…I don't want you to get any wrong ideas." He gave her a brief glance.

Mauri quickly nodded, "I agree. I am only wielder for my Santiago as well."

"So we agree, this is only for show, nothing else, ok?" he stopped and held out his hand for her to shake.

She stopped walking and stared a moment before chuckling in determination. "Right," she took his hand, sealing their agreement in a **lie.**


	24. Broken

The calming flow of sound extended out and covered the entire room. It soon soaked into the neighboring rooms with delicate care. The young girl moved her fingers in a continuous rhythm as her other hand never creased to slid the bow across the strings. Maka had gotten better in the week since she's been living under Wes' roof, but it was still moments like this that made her ponder things she wished she didn't.

_*A whole week…it has been a whole week since I've seen Soul…*_ even her voice inside her head sounded lonely but she never stopped playing. Her hands slowed down, as if trying to make time itself slow with her music. _*If it wasn't for Kiddo, I think I'd be mad with the want to see him by now…but even his small visits can't fill the ever closing void…*_ her eyes close gently as she remembered all the times the raven haired boy stopped by with her class work and a smile.

_*Even though he has a smile, it always makes me feel sad somehow…*_ she opened her eyes and paused her playing a moment to remember a past experience with the boy.

* * *

_ "Are you getting better? At the violin I mean." Kidd looked at the young girl with a bit of hope._

_Maka blushed a bit, "W-Well I would hope so," she chuckled nervously. "But Wes-shihan says I'm doing great for just this short time." Her eyes lighten with pride._

_"That's great to hear," he quietly admitted, almost as if a breath of relief._

_Maka chuckled again, "Yeah…" she looked down at her hands that rested gently on her knees. "Oi…Kiddo…"_

_"Mmm?"_

_She hesitated, "O-Oh…its nothing. I just wanted to know how's Shinigami-sama doing." She looked up at him with a weak smile._

_*But that wasn't what I wanted to ask…and Kidd knew…because his expression would always change…*_

_Kidd looked away from her, "…He's fine. Thanks for asking…"_

_*I knew that if I asked him about Soul, I would get the same answers…**'He's ok'**, **'I don't know'**. He knew this wasn't good…for me…and I felt it too…slowly but surely my need to ask for Soul grew less and less until I finally stopped asking…*_

**_"…I'm slowly fading…"_**

* * *

Maka blinked and found herself in the lounge with her violin and bow still in her hands. _*I knew I was slowly fading from that life…but I still tried to grab and hold on for as long as I could…*_ a single tear escaped her eye. _*But even with that known, I'm still here…and Wes-shihan continues to teach me because the faster I beat this, the fast I return to that life*_ she wiped the tears from her eyes and paused.

_*Wes-shihan…*_ she looked towards the doors as if he was standing there. _*Lately he hasn't been around me as much as he used to…it's almost as if he's ignoring me…*_ her eyebrows came together in sorrowful confusion. The older man would rarely see the young girl aside from their meal times and whenever he taught her a lesson on her violin. "I don't understand what I did wrong…" she felt slight anger growing.

Placing her violin and bow down on the couch next to her, she walked out the room with determination. _*I'm going to find out what's wrong with him*_

"Oh, Maka-kun."

The young girl turned and found the butler Mr. Napa looking at her with sheets in his hands.

"Has it been 30 minutes already?" he asked as he brought up his hand to check his watch.

"No, it hasn't. But I need to speak with Wes-shihan." She quickly answered before running up the stairs.

"A-Ah, wait Miss! Wesu-sama is working and doesn't like to be disturbed!" the man quickly ascended the stairs to stop her.

_*I don't care! He's going to answer my questions!*_ Maka ran towards his study room and waited a moment outside.

"Wait Miss!"

Maka looked over at the approaching man before finally entering the room and closing the door behind her.

"What's the meaning of this?" Wes asked as soon as the door clicked shut.

The young girl looked at him where he sat at his large desk, papers spread across the table in an organized mess. For a moment she couldn't find the words to speak.

"I'm sorry Wesu-sama! I tried to stop her- -."

"It's fine Napa. Continue with your tasks." Wes ordered.

"A-Ah yes. Thank you sir." The man said before his retreating footsteps signaled his departure.

"So, what is it Maka? Do you need me to go over today's lesson again?" he turned his back to her, returning his attention to his work.

Maka flinched. i*Even his work seems more important to him now…*/i "No, it's not that- -."

"Then what is it? I'm a bit busy."

_*His words are like ice daggers…*_

"…Why are you doing this?"

"This is my work Maka."

"No, I meant this; ignoring me and treating me like crap."

Wes turned in his chair to face her, "What are you talking about? I do not treat you like 'crap'."

"Yes you do! You always talk to me with a voice of indifference and a distant face, as if you wished you didn't have to speak or see me!" her hands formed tight fists as she continued to scream at him. "You came to my school and took me away from my old life for this? I wished you'd never taken me from my real home!" she tightly closed her eyes as she screamed at him.

**SLAM!**

Maka quickly opened her eyes to find Wes standing inches away from her with his hands on the door beside each side of her head where he slammed them. "You are the one who wanted to come; I gave you a choice. I **never** forced you. You are the one who kept making yourself miserable with thinking about that **boy** than your studies."

Maka's eyes widened.

"Can't you see that he doesn't care?"

_*No...*_

"Can't you see that he possibly moved on?"

"No!" Maka pushed the man away in anger. "Don't you dare say that!"

_*Please don't…the string of hope won't be able to take it…*_

"Soul would never do that!" she glared at him.

"Where are you going?" Wes called out but got no response when the girl ran out the door.

* * *

"Soul-kun, we need to do shopping for food. We are almost out I believe." Mauri brought it to the white haired boy's attention.

"Huh? Really? Damn, we eat too much." He laughed.

"I-I am sorry! I will not eat much anymore, I promise!"

Soul laughed harder. "No, it was a joke," he explained, earning a light laugh from the girl. "There's an outside market that sells a buncha different stuff near home if you wanna stop by.

"Yes, that will be good."

"Jeez, those two seem oblivious to everything huh Kiddo?" Liz continued to watch Soul and Mauri talk freely.

"What do you mean?" Kidd didn't take his eyes off his book as he continued to read.

"Well…I mean pretty much everyone in class looks over at them every couple of seconds as if they're a bunch of aliens or something, and they don't even seem to notice that they are the topic of everyone's conversation." Liz finally pulled her gaze from the two, "So do you think the rumors are true?" she whispered.

"What rumor?

"Rumor! Woo a rumor!" Patty began to scream and laugh loudly.

"Ssshh! Patty!" she tried calming her sister.

"Whatever the rumor is, regardless if it's true or not, it won't change how those two will act…" Kidd narrowed his eyes.

* * *

"This is a very nice market. It remind me of home."

"Really? Do you guys have a lot of these in Rome?"

"Yes, we do." She smiled as the two continued to walk and look at the many shops.

_*Why do I feel this way?*_ Soul continued to watch the smiling girl as she walked off to explore the outdoor market. _*It seems similar to how I feel when I'm with Maka…but at the same time it's totally different…*_ he thought as he walked off in a different direction to be alone with his thoughts.

_*A week…it has been a whole week since I've seen her…*_ he walked with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. _*I know she's with Nii-san…but it's because she's with him that I can't go and see her…he'll have something planned to counter my action…I know it.*_ the grim thought made him stop. He bit his lip, trying hard to overcome the wave of sadness that crashed over him. He breathed out the sorrow that grew inside him. _*But I can't lie…it is getting easier to live with this. I guess it's all because of Mauri…*_ he looked up and caught a glimpse of the dark brown haired girl and couldn't help but smile. It was like that; he found himself smiling more and more around her and he couldn't understand why.

_*I can't even get mad at her*_ he laughed on the inside as he recalled the day before when he had yelled at her for shrinking his shirt in the dryer. _*All she did was apologize over and over with eyes that seemed like they were ready to cry…*_ he smiled. _*She's so different from Maka but at the same time they're very similar…*_

The young girl never felt the need to argue over anything insignificant. It was because she was raised with only boys that she became timid and submissive towards others. Maka wasn't raised that way; she was an only child and learned to be on her own because both of her parents were involved with their own problems. She picked up her quick and sharp tongue from her mother, and it was one of the many things that made her strong. Mauri wasn't selfish or demanding, and it was always easy for her to care for others more than herself just like the young brown haired meister.

_*She really would kick major ass if she needed…*_ Soul scratched his cheek as he remembered the one time they both needed to pair up to stop a Kishin Egg from taking any more innocent souls. _*She was fearless and powerful…I could feel her wavelength crash against my body like a wave and swallow me whole…it was amazing…*_ he felt his heartbeat quicken from the memory. _*I knew it felt like her soul corresponded well with my piano playing…but I didn't think she actually heard it…but she did…*_ he blushed at the memory.

* * *

Mauri had come to him and had asked him if he played piano one day. The question caught him off guard he almost didn't answer.

_"Yes, I do."_

_"Ah, I knew it. I always hear it when we pair. It is beautiful."_

_Soul blinked, "You like music?"_

_"Si, my family is very gifted with music. I love it but unfortunately I cannot play anything…"_

_*My heart couldn't help but pound after she had said that…*_ he slowly placed his hand over his heart. _*Maka wasn't like that…she never understood what a song was suppose to make her feel...she didn't feel it in her soul…*_ he lowered his head. _*But…Maka was still special…*_ he smiled lightly before looking up at the sky. _*I wonder when I'll see her again…*_

* * *

Maka ran until her anger was tolerable. _*Why would Wes-shihan say those things to me?*_ the thought ran over and over in her head, almost screaming from the confusion. She slowly slipped her hands into her pocket as she continued to walk down the street. _*I want to see Soul…I want to hug him and make sure it isn't a dream…*_ the depressing thought made her heart squeeze with want. She pulled out a small key from her pocket and held it in her flat palm, looking at it as if it would console her. _*I could go see if he's home…school's already out…*_ she looked down at her watch. "He should be home by now…" she quietly uttered to herself as she studied the small key.

She remembered how she had left a similar key on the kitchen table of the apartment before she left. But like Maka, she always had a spare key just in case if she lost the other. "I think this is a bit sad…I kept this to make me feel better…"

**_*To feel secure…*_**

She closed her hand tightly around the small object as if it would disappear if she didn't. The young girl placed the key back in her pocket before walking again and found she was near the outdoor market.

_*I think I should buy him something…* _she thought as she past by some of the vendors. _*Now where is it…?*_ she looked around. _*Ah, there it is.*_ she spotted what she had been looking for. Maka slowly walked up to the vendor, planning on buying Soul's favorite snack. The young meister was just moments away from reaching out and taking a bag when another young girl took a similar bag first. Maka turned and studied the girl with a bit of confusion.

She watched as the girl studied the bag in her hands as if she wasn't sure if it was the right one. _*Who is this girl…? I've never seen her before…she looks foreign…*_ Maka studied the girl carefully and noticed her tanned skin. There was a sudden disturbing shiver that ran up her entire body that made her blood run cold.

Maka watched in uneasiness as the girl quickly paid for the bag before running off in the busy crowd. _*What…was that?*_ she thought, trying to process the over whelming foreign feeling she got from the girl. _*Why did I feel like that when she was near me?*_ she scanned the crowd to see if she could find any trace of the girl but decided to ignore it with a shake of her head.

"Soul-kun? Are these your favorite snack?"

Maka's heart stopped. She whirled around and looked desperately in the crowd towards where the sound of the unknown girl's voice came from and caught glimpse of the girl walking towards a smiling Soul.

"Oh yeah, where'd you get them?" the boy took the bag from the girl.

"Over there." Mauri pointed to the stand where she had bought them but only a **broken** string was left on the ground.


	25. Conflicting

The young girl fled as fast as her legs could carry her. She needed to flee the sight as quickly as she could to rid of herself of the pressure that was crashing down on her heart. But she knew it was too late, her heart had already begun to crack in two.

*Why? Why was I so stupid? Why did I let myself believe?* She screamed at herself as her eyes poured out her empty tears. Her sorrow was so great every person she passed felt her pain and the world slowly fading away.

* Why did I let myself get hurt?* she tightly closed her eyes before someone caught her in their arms. Hard.

Maka let out her cries of hate, sorrow, confusion, love, and anguish the moment the persons arms closed around her small body. She couldn't remember the last time she screamed as hard as she was. It sounded like her painful cry after Asura had crushed her stomach and ribs when they fought for the final time. Her arms flailed around frantically as her tiny frame squirmed in endless violent spasms.

"Maka, it's alright…sshh…" the voice was soft and gentle," I'm so sorry…" it whispered into her ear.

The young girl's voice caught in her throat. Her wide eyes stared out at nothing but to her it was the world that she knew and loved that was shattering right before her.

Her body shook violently as she reached out for nothing before she slowly, let herself fall; she fell down into a dark and empty dream that seemed very much like her life.

* * *

"Soul-kun, what is the matter?" Mauri asked quickly after watching the boy hunch over in pain that eventually brought him to one knee.

"I-….I don't know…it feels… weird in my chest…" he spoke in between labored breaths. He moved his hands over his heart and grabbed his shirt as if it were his heart. "I feel...dizzy…" he mumbled as he slowly tried to stand up but fell flat on the ground in front of him instead.

"Soul-kun!" Mauri was at his side in an instant but it was too late, he was already gone.

* * *

The dark room was cast in shadows by the curtains that hid the bright sun from the inhabitants inside. The man just stood there watching the silent sleeping form. She reminded him of the girl in the story Snow White.

"She bit the poisoned apple…" he whispered as he felt Maka's hand tighten around his. The white haired man had taken her home after she passed out in his arms earlier. He found she held his hand even in her unconsciousness and never let him go ever since. All he could do was stand there; studying her swollen eyes and frown on her face in silence. He knew she reached the point; she was slowly breaking.

A smile slowly crept over his face.

A gentle knock came from behind the door, making the smile turn into an instant frown.

"What?" He almost hissed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but the phone is for you sir-"

"I'm busy." He snapped.

"B-But it's the meister sir."

His eyes narrowed.

Slowly Wes reluctantly released Maka's tight grip and placed it gently on the bed. He opened the door and glared at Mr. Napa standing there with a pale face and a cordless phone in his hands.

"Hello?" Wes angrily answered after taking the phone from the man.

"…is it done?" the quiet voice asked.

"You're still needed." Wes quickly answered.

"I don't want to do this…"

"You will continue to do what is asked. You know what the consequences are if you do not finish your duties…" Wes hissed; narrowing his eyes as his voice turned cold

The voice on the other side hesitated. "…I understand…"

"Don't ever call back here. You wait until I contact you, understand?"

"Yes sir…"

*CLICK*

* * *

The boy's eyes slowly opened. They scanned the room around him and found himself in his small room, in his bed. A sharp pain shot throughout his entire head making his eyes shut tightly. He sat up and held his head in his hands, sucking in a sharp pained breath.

*…What is this ripping feeling of emptiness inside?* Soul thought for a moment.*It's slowly fading…* Once the pain became tolerable, he lowered his hands and felt foreign skin. The young boy looked over to the side and found a young sleeping girl at his bed side.

*Mauri…* he thought heart pounding a moment.*She must have fallen asleep next to me this whole time…* he thought, eyes becoming soft. He quietly watched her sleep a moment before lying back down and turning to face her, slowly falling asleep with a smile on his face.


	26. Brothers

Her existence was instantly blacked out by the numbness. The world and everything around her were fading; falling to ruins underneath her being as she continued to lay there, a frozen statue of disbelief. She continued to stare at the man who lay in front of her, wishing silently that his unchanging expression would shift and it would all be one horrible joke. But it never did; his piercing eyes never gave in just as his mouth never hinted an upcoming smile.

"_No_, that can't…you guys can't…be…" she uttered, barely a whisper, eyes widening from hearing her own voice quiver.

"Why don't you believe me?" he quietly asked, expression never letting up. "Don't you see the resemblance?"

Maka flinched; she did remember thinking Wes and Soul looking alike when they had first met but she dismissed it after she had seen his dark blue eyes. "No, you can't be brothers…unless if red eyes aren't the only color of eyes that run in your family," she argued.

Wes shook his head; "Maka," he slowly raised his right hand to his eyes, "haven't you ever heard of contacts?" he spoke as he removed a pair of blue contacts to reveal a pair of dark crimson orbs.

The young meister gasped before she quickly covered her mouth with her two hands, eyes wide. "N-No…" she breathed, sitting up instantly, "H-How…long…? Why were you two keeping this a secret?"

"It wasn't my decision to make…" he slowly closed his eyes.

"Then why?" she cried out, "Why would both of you lie to me?" her voice was rising as her eyebrows came together in growing anger.

Wes remained silent, eyes slightly opened but pinned to the sheets around her frame.

Maka formed her hands into fists, "Are you going to answer me?" she firmly grabbed his shoulders to shake him. She stared at him with eyes of anger but his eyes never once looked at her. Maka gritted her teeth, "Answer me- -!"

"…Because Soul wanted revenge!"

Wes' voice echoed throughout the room with the silence following close behind. Maka's hands loosened on the man's shoulders as her eyes shifted into fear from the loudness of his sudden voice. "…R-Revenge…? What do you mean?"

He slowly looked up at her, eyes emotionless and half open. "…Many years ago, when Soul and I were children, we were very close…though we were 7 years apart, we were inseparable…" the man's eyes became sad and glazed with the memory of the past. "There was a time when our family was unaware of Soul's…talent…that was when everything was decent…"

"…What do you mean 'decent'?"

Wes paused, "Our parents were strict on us…especially on Soul because he needed to fill in big shoes…"

"Because you paved the way for expectations…" Maka finished his sentence.

"Yes…but had I known such a thing was destined for my younger brother, I wouldn't have strive so much to be the best…but I had no idea. I was a single child for 7 years…how was I to know I was digging my future brother's grave?" Wes asked the question, expecting no answer because he knew no answer would come. "…It wasn't fair…I hated it…seeing Soul born into a world like ours…being in my shadow…" the man covered his face with his hands, "I hated it…with every ounce of my being…you have no idea what it feels like to watch your younger sibling going hours a day perfecting an instrument just so they can meet an expectation that was carved before they even left the womb." He lowered his hands and narrowed his eyes at Maka.

The young meister wanted to look away from the pained sight that was Wes but she couldn't. "What happened…?" she swallowed.

Wes' expression changed, regaining his baring before continuing his story, "…Because we were musicians, our parents took the up most priority to insure we perfected our talent. An instructor, who was close to our family, was hired and the lessons began…her name was Alice de la Luz…she was a year younger than me and she was beautiful…" Maka noticed how his eyes fell to the sheets with the mention of her name, "Soul fell in love with her kindness and motherly personality…"

Maka blinked, "He…fell in love? How did you know?" Maka's heart squeezed.

"Because he told me," he looked at her straight in the eyes. "Back then, Soul never kept secrets from me. I was a bit surprised to hear his confession because most of his time was spent alone or with his piano. It never occurred to me that my brother would fall in love let alone with a beautiful woman who had years on him…" he smiled at the thought. "I wished him the best of luck…but I did warn him, love isn't an easy thing…if anything, it could kill a man if he let his guard down. But…Soul was young…and soon it became the end of our **brotherhood**…" he covered his face with his hands again.

"…What do you mean…? What happened…?" Maka wanted to know more. Wanted to know what happened between Soul and the woman who claimed his heart many years ago.

Wes didn't respond. He continued to shield his face with his hands and remained silent a while. "…She rejected him…" he quietly admitted.

Maka's eyes grew, "But why? Because he was younger?" her heart skipped a beat.

"No…because her heart was already captured by someone else…" he lowered his hands enough to reveal his eyes, "…She had fallen in love with me…"

"What? She fell for you?" it took every ounce in Maka's being to keep from screaming the question because of how shocked she was. "What did you do?"

"What did I do with her? Nothing; I was just as shocked as you were. But things became very…difficult between the three of us because she became unprofessional and did everything she could to change my mind…" his face became annoyed. "And it only added fuel to Soul's flame of jealousy…so it was only a matter of time before he snapped and did what he did because of what she did…"

"What happened?" Maka quickly asked, hooked on the story.

Wes covered his mouth with his hand and shifted his eyes away from her, "Well…you see…Soul…pretty much…"

Maka's eyebrows came together, "What? Spit it out Shihan." She anxiously ordered.

His face slowly became flustered, "…He walked in on her coming on to me…"

Maka's face became bright red. "No! You can't be serious!"

The man blushed a deep red, "Yes…it happened…" he sighed.

"What were you guys doing?" she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"It wasn't anything! I was a child back then, we both were! It was the first sexual encounter I had in my life," he protested, trying to control his emotions.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Maka uttered under her breath, low enough that the man didn't hear.

"Regardless of what we were doing, innocent or not, Soul saw us and it was the last crack that his heart could bare before he snapped…And he did." Wes' voice became low again, "Soul attacked me in his weapon form, which he still didn't know how to control, might I add." Wes commented.

"He attacked you?" the meister's eyes widened, "Why would he do such a thing? Over a simple girl?"

"Yes, he did. But because I had taken self defense classes when I was younger, I was able to fight him off. But it didn't end his hatred for me…if anything he became antisocial and troublesome…and then one day he disappeared…"

"What do you mean he disappeared?"

"He ran away from home without a word to anyone, such a stupid boy…"

Maka looked at the man's face and found disappointment painted on his face, "…Did you ever find him?" she quietly asked, knowing that he was pained by what happened in the past.

"No…none of us could…we spent months searching for him but to no avail…and it was a difficult thing for my mother to accept because regardless if she was a strict woman, Soul was still her son…I had never seen my mother cry so much in my life…" his voice became barely a whisper as he stared off as if he was watching his mother crying in front of him.

"So after months of searching for him you guys gave up?" her eyebrows came together in sadness. "You didn't find any trace of him anywhere?"

Wes sighed, "We had reason to believe he left the city in which we lived in on foot but we also believed that he used his weapon form to travel without being detected or spotted because there were a couple of vendors who said they had seen a weapon that resembled Soul." He sighed again as he placed his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "I couldn't live with myself at home…more and more people came to our estate, claiming to have sympathy and sorrow to share with us but I knew they were all liars…no one who shared the same status as us were ever 'sympathetic' people…hell, none of them knew of any emotion because they all had cold hearts of carved lies…" his voice became low with disgust as his eyes narrowed.

Maka had never heard him speak in such a cold way, let alone seen him the way he was now. It almost scared her but it also made her realized just how much he despised the people who shared his wealthy status. "…What did you do next…?"

Wes closed his eyes, "I did the only thing I could do…I moved out of that house because I couldn't live with myself…everyday spent in that house reminded me of my lost brother and how if it wasn't for me he would still be there, by my side. Had I warned him and told him to stay away from that wretched woman, he wouldn't have been hurt and wouldn't have ran away…" his voice was heavy with regret.

"But it wasn't your fault…" Maka crawled over by his side to look at the man closely. "You had no idea it was going to happen…so you shouldn't have blamed yourself shihan…" she sat on her knees as she continued to watch the sad man.

"But he was my younger brother…I should have done a better job of protecting him…but I didn't. And it took this long to find him…because I decided to move into this house and stumble across his picture in the newspaper after the fight between the both of you and Ebon. That was how I came to find him…" he sat up and glared at her. "It wasn't because I looked for him, it was nearly chance…nothing more…it was the world telling me, I had to do something…get him back so things could go **back to the way things were**…and I planned on doing just that…anyway I could…" his voice became low as he continued to stare at the girl.

Maka felt fear from the man's stare. She didn't understand what he meant but she felt his over powering emotions emanate from his being and knew whatever it was he was talking about, was real. "…It wasn't a conscience that you and I met…was it?" her voice was emotionless as she stared at him with the same expression.

Wes studied her face a while, "No…it wasn't." he slowly raised his hand to her face. "I was going to do everything and anything to get my brother back…at any cost…however, after I met you, meister to my crazy brother, I almost lost sight of what I was after…" his hand stroked her cheek softly as he spoke.

"What do you mean?" her eyes never shifted from his.

"I fell for you Maka…" he breathed as he leaned in and kissed her. Wes slowly lowered her onto his bed and laid on top of the young girl before she stopped the kiss.

"You're goal is to take me away…isn't it?" she stared at him with no emotion.

"No, no. It wasn't like that at all," Wes supported himself on his hands and looked down at her, "After I met you, I found that you were my brother's partner, and so I had a link after a year of separation I had found something to hold onto. And sure enough, I met with Soul and spoke to him…but it didn't go as well as I hoped…if anything I think all I did was reopen the scarred wound…" he chuckled as he looked away. His laugh was filled with such sadness it hurt Maka's heart.

She raised her hands to his face and made him look back at her. "Tell me what happened…" she whispered.

He looked down at her a moment, taking in her beautiful maturity before continuing, "He…he cursed at me and refused to have anything to do with me…I tried to explain to him that the past was the past and it wasn't my fault…but he didn't want to listen to me…I attempted to apologize to him but even that he chewed it and spit it out…he called me a liar and a back stabber..." he closed his eyes before shaking his head. "When I told him I was teaching you how to play the violin, he snapped and almost attacked me again."

"No, you can't be serious!" Maka gasped, not believing what the man had just said.

"I am, but it was fortunate that we were in a public setting or else I would have likely been injured," he joked, "But he did try to threaten me by using you."

"What do you mean?"

"He said if I ever told you that I was his brother, he would make things difficult for you and make you quit taking lessons."

"What? And how was he going to do that?" Maka snorted, almost insulted that Soul thought he had the power to do such a thing.

"You know well enough. Remember how he treated you? You told me everything…how he made you frustrated…made you cry…made you angry…but not only that, he told you I was a bad man, remember?"

Maka's heart thumped hard in a painful way as her eyes began to water, "…You mean…he was doing that…just to get me away from you…? Just so your secret would be kept? Why would he put me through that? No, no this isn't true." She quickly changed her mind as she shook her head and closed her eyes at the thought.

"Maka, listen to me, it's true," Wes put his hand gently against her cheek to stop her from shaking her head and make her listen, "He thought I would try to pull you away from him and in his own weird mind, I was. But I'll tell you something, Soul has become a different person since he ran away…he's become an evil person who could hurt someone if it seems like it would benefit him in the long run- -."

"No! He isn't like that! I've been with him for a year and a half now, Shihan! I have never once seen him act the way you accuse him of!" Maka sat up quickly and tried to pull out from underneath the white haired man.

"Maka, you're not listening to me. He is how I say he is. You have provided me with enough evidence to support it. You have witnessed it firsthand!"

"No! You're wrong!" Maka backed away from the man and made her way towards the edge of the bed.

"Maka, do you want to know why he chose you as his partner?"

Wes' question silenced and stopped the girl in her tracks instantly. She froze and didn't blink for a moment before she turned to look at the man. Her silence was the only answer she could give.

"He told me the only reason why he chose you was because you had no sense of music culture…and because of it, he had no need to feel threaten or out witted in his own domain…he could look down on someone for once…it's another way he is getting revenge on me…" his voice trailed off in silence.

Maka didn't move, she didn't speak. Her heart was beating loud and painfully in her ears. "No…" she breathed, eyes watering and ready to release a flow of tears from the pain she felt. "No…you're lying…please stop…" she whispered as her tears began to escape.

"I'm not lying Maka…"

"Yes you are…"

"You have to realize that my brother isn't who you think he is- -."

"Stop it…"

"Wake up Maka."

"Please just stop it…"

"Open your eyes and see what is in front of you- -."

"Just stop it Wes!"

"Not until you come to terms with what I'm telling you!" Wes grabbed her shoulders and shook her to make her realize it wasn't a joke.

Maka glared at him, "I won't because I know it isn't true…" she gritted her teeth as her tears continued to flow, "…he said he cared for me…" she whispered harshly.

Wes studied the upset girl a moment, watching her tears streaming down her pale cheeks and couldn't help but feel disgusted with himself for being the reason behind her pain. _No, I'm not the source…_, he thought, _Soul is responsible_. And with that thought, he knew what needed to be done. "Regardless if you believe it is true or not, it is over and done with. You no longer live that life anymore. You will not be hurt by him because I will not allow it. For as long as you live here, I will protect you and keep you safe, regardless if you want it or not." Wes firmly instructed, earning a confused expression from the girl.

"You can't keep me here if I wish to leave…And I will, because my life is with him and my friends- -."

"There is no life for you back there with Soul. Don't you understand?"

"No, no I don't Shihan. I don't understand because this is my decision to make, not yours." Maka shot back with anger before getting up and heading towards the door.

"You will accept things for how they are and stop acting like this." Wes quickly beat her to the door and placed his hand against it to keep her from opening it.

"And how am I acting Shihan?"

"Like a **child**." he insulted, earning a slight flinch from the girl. "Open your eyes and see what is in front of you. Or did you forget what you saw earlier today?"

Maka's eyes snapped open wide. She did remember, she remembered it well. She remembered seeing Soul with that foreign girl. She remembered seeing him smile so openly with her, so carefree as if they had known each other forever. For all that she knew they must know each other well because how else would the girl know Soul's favorite snack in the short weeks that have passed? She couldn't fight it any more, the facts were all in front of her and Wes was right, she was acting childish. She lowered her head as her shoulders shook from her cries. "…What do I do…? I still have feelings for hi- -."

"No you don't," he cut her off quickly, "You're just imagining it because it is all that you know. But do not let your mind confuse you or lead you astray. Forget about my brother and that false life…it has no place for you anymore… You're here with me and I will never let you be hurt by him ever again because I care too much about you." He pulled her into his arms, allowing her cry in his chest. "…I'm sorry Maka…I wish it didn't have to be this way…" he narrowed his eyes as a **smile** pulled at the corners of his lips.

"B-But…what can I do…?" she cried loudly between sobs, grasping his shirt in tight fists.

Wes pulled her away slightly and looked into her eyes, "Stop crying, that's what you need to do…" the young girl stared back at the man. "He doesn't deserve your tears anymore…he never did…" he slowly and gently wiped away her tears with his hands before pulling her in to kiss her lightly.

Maka felt his soft lips against hers and it pulled at her breaking heart. She was confused and at lost about everything. Her entire world came crashing down in a single day without warning. But Wes was right, if Soul was capable of moving on in the past weeks, why couldn't she? Before she knew it, her hands were wrapped around the man's neck, fingers woven deep in his silky white hair.

"Maka…I'll make you forget him…I swear…" he breathed when they parted their kiss before he picked her up and brought her over to his bed where he laid her down gently. The man leaned down and kissed her again, lowering himself beside her on the bed. His lips were gentle but soon became hungry for so much more and Maka knew it. He released her lips to trail kisses down her chin to her neck where he took in a deep breath of her scent, driving him in a deeper ecstasy. Maka wrapped her arms around his head and buried his face deeper in her neck, not wanting the feeling to end. Her breathing became uneven but her eyes remained glued to the ceiling above her. She continued to stare at it even as the man moved in between her legs and flinched at the foreign touch. Maka could feel the warmth through the material of his pants and it scared her but at the same time she didn't care. She forced herself to ignore the fear and take what was to come but it never did.

"Maka…you're so perfect…" he breathed as he brought his lips to meet hers before laying his head on her chest, slowly allowing himself to fall asleep to the rhythm of her broken heart with a grin painted across his face.

"…_no…there is no such thing as **'perfect'** in this world…not anymore…_"

_**Hate the sin, love the sinner…**_


	27. Puppet

**A/N: thanks to all you for wrote a review but a special thanks to sherry yuki :) thanks for writing more than just one review! :D keep them coming! ~Mizu**_  
_

* * *

The single boy walked with his hands in his pockets, head low watching the ground under his feet. It wasn't late but the sun was already touching the horizon, drooling with exhaustion as it continued to fight to stay awake. A light wind blew against the raven haired boy, a slight shiver shook his body but he quickly dismissed it. After all, he was the son of a Death God; it would be absurd to let something so insignificant affect him.

*I wonder how much longer…* he thought to himself, eyes closing slowly. *…how much longer before things can go back to how they were?* the voice inside his head had a hint of sadness. "I don't know how much more I can take watching the two of them anymore…" he took in a sharp breath as he felt a spike of anger rise from the pit of his stomach. Images from earlier that day of Soul and Mauri talking so carefree and happy flashed in his head, making the boy grit his teeth. "What the hell could he be thinking?" he hissed as he turned and stopped in front of a gated estate.

Kidd walked up to the tiny box and pressed the single button for a couple of seconds before he released it and waited. Suddenly a voice came over, "Evans' estate, who's there?"

"Hello, this is Death the Kidd, I'm sorry to bother- -."

"Ah! Kiddo-sama! I'll let you in right away!" the voice frantically cut the boy off before disappearing into silence. Kidd was lost but quickly understood when the metal gate opened instantly. The raven haired boy made his way up the walkway in a short time and was greeted by a familiar servant in the door way.

"Hello, Kiddo-sama, what a pleasant surprise! What brings you here?" the man held a bright smile as he let the boy in the enormous house.

"I'm sorry for the late, unannounced visit," the boy gave an apologetic look as he crossed the threshold, "but I was around and wanted to stop by and visit Maka-kun- -."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid your friend is asleep," Wes' voice came from the stairs.

Kidd looked over as the white haired man slowly made his way down the stairs, scratching his head lazily. "Oh, she is?" Kidd frowned, "well, I guess she must be tired from her lessons, I'm sorry to have disturbed you Wes-san. It looks like I woke you up as well…"

"Don't worry, I needed to get up anyways." The man smiled. "If anything I apologize for the fact you have to see me like this. I know it must be very unprofessional of me."

"I don't mind, this is after all your home. I have no problem with it."

"Thank you," Wes chuckled, "Napa, why don't you put on some tea for us?" the man turned to face the man.

"Oh, no it's alright. I should get going. It was rude of me to stop by unannounced as it is." The boy turned towards the door but was stopped.

"Nonsense, stay for a moment. I'd like to have a quick word with you if you don't mind staying a couple of minutes."

Death the Kidd looked back at the man a moment and thought. "…Sure, I could use a cup of tea."

* * *

"So, what brought you all the way here, Kiddo-kun?" Wes asked the boy before bringing up the tea cup to his lips to take a sip.

The two of them had moved their conversation to Wes' study where they took their places on the couches across from one another. Kidd was amazed by the many shelves of literature and paintings that hung perfectly on the wall but nothing caught his eye more than a black and white painting that was perfectly symmetrical in every way in his belief. It took every ounce of his will power to pull his attention away from the master piece and focus on the individual in front of him. "I just stopped by to check up on Maka, that's all." He finally answered.

"Ah, I see," Wes gently placed his cup down on the low table in front of him, "Well my apologies once again for her being asleep. She had a rough day today, with what she saw Soul doing earlier today…"

Kidd's eyes widened, "Wait, she saw Soul-kun? When? Where? I thought I told her to stay away…" his hands formed into fists.

"Yes, but she is a stubborn girl after all, you know that," Wes gave a small smile.

"What did she see?" he swallowed nervously.

"Hmmm…I'm not too sure, she didn't give details. However I pieced together that she must have seen Soul with a new meister…"

"Mauri…" Kidd breathed eyes wide.

"Hmm? Who is that?" Wes' eyebrows came together.

"Her name is Mauri Napolitano; she's a foreigner from Italy."

Wes whistled, impressed.

"She's a meister who moved in with Soul because the female dorms are being remodeled and thus have no room for her. It's only temporary however I doubt it'll be that way in the end…" the boy narrowed his eyes.

"They're living together?" Wes' eyes widened, "No…you can't be serious. It hasn't even been 3 weeks!"

"You and I see eye to eye on the subject. Ever since Maka left, that new girl magically appeared and now Soul is slowly moving on and it seems he's forgotten about Maka completely. It makes me sick…" the boy nearly spat. "If only that foolish boy knew how much Maka loved and cared for him…but instead he's laughing so freely as if he didn't care that she was taken away…"

"…Kidd-kun, do you believe Soul deserves Maka?"

Kidd blinked. He slowly turned his head to look at the man. The boy continued to stare because no words would come to him. He wanted to say they did deserve each other but his mouth wouldn't spit the words out.

"Its fine, you don't have to speak, your silence tells me your answer perfectly loud and clear."

The young boy slowly lowered his gaze, ashamed he wasn't able to speak, regardless if it would have been lies.

"There is no need for you to feel ashamed; he deserves what was given to him. My brother was never smart or kind when it came to females…"

Kidd's head snapped up and stared at the man with wide eyes, shocked at what the man just said.

"Oh, I didn't tell you? I'm Soul's older brother," Wes' eyes closed with his smile.

Kidd stared at him, speechless. "B-But…how?"

"Well, we do share the same parents…"

"That's not what I meant…"

"Don't we resemble each other? Didn't you notice my eyes?" Wes pointed at them.

Kidd leaned in to get a better look, "Oh! They're crimson…"

"Yes, sir. Just like my younger brother, only darker."

"I…can't believe it…" Kidd whispered as he fell back into the couch, "I would have never guessed…"

"Yes well, a lot of people didn't know."

"Wes-san, why would you hide the fact you two were brothers from us? Does Maka know?"

"Yes, she does…the reason I had to hide it was because Soul was threatening Maka but in the end he rejected her by choosing another so it seems…" the man looked away, bangs shadowing one eye, "…But I will say this; I will protect Maka at all costs against Soul and everything else that wishes to cause her harm…" his eyes narrowed.

"I will too."

Wes blinked before turning to look at the boy and found a determined look on his face. The man smiled with a small laugh, "I'm happy to hear it."

"What did Soul do to her?" Kidd's voice turned cold and filled with anger.

"It's a long story…but it all started years ago…when Soul and I were mere children…"

* * *

"Baka! So you mean to say Soul did all those things just so he could get revenge? Soul is truly an idiot!" Kidd exploded out of his seat after listening to the story unfold.

"Yes, well, be that as it may, I recommend you not to bring up the subject with Miss Albarn…I'm afraid she's decided to stay clear of him and never see him again."

"Oh, I see…Well that's good to hear then…she won't be hurt again." Kidd agreed. "And trust me, I'll be sure to not relay any information about Maka to him; he doesn't deserve to know." Kidd rose to his feet, indicating his time to leave.

"I'm sure you will not fail Maka," Wes followed the boy's lead, "However, I do have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor?"

"Yes, I want you to relay a message to my dear brother if you may." Wes took a step closer to Kidd.

"What is it?"

"Tell him: Maka has already decided to move on and live here in my care. She does not wish to have anything more to do with the likes of him and if he ever tries to come here, he will be sadly disappointed because I will not let him come anywhere near her." Wes spoke in short stern words that held his discontent for his sibling.

Kidd was a bit speechless but quickly regained his composure, "Yes sir, I shall."

"Oh, but only do so if the opportunity presents itself, alright?" Wes smiled warmly.

"Ah, mm." the boy nodded as he let himself be taken by the shoulders and lead out of the large room towards the front door. "Yes, well thank you for your time Wes-san. And thank you for letting me know the truth behind everything…but most of all thank you for watching over her…" he whispered.

"It's my pleasure. Thank you for stopping by, you are a good friend indeed Kiddo-kun." Wes patted the boy's shoulder.

"Thank you, please give Maka my regards and tell her I'll visit again soon."

"I'll be sure to do just that. You get home safe now. Take care," Wes said as the boy crossed the corridor.

"I will thank you. Take care," Kidd waved before he summoned Beelzebub and rode off in the night sky.

Wes slowly closed the door, a wicked smile creeping across his face as the moon laughed in the dark sky.


	28. Unspoken Precaricates

_Look at me…_

_"I am…"_

_Look only at me…_

_"I will…"_

_Love me…_

_"I do…"_

_Love only me…_

_"I shall…"_

_Obey me and I will make the pain cease to exist…_

_"…Make it go away…my heart hurts…"_

_Because you chose for it to hurt…you disobedient girl…_

_"Tell me what to do…"_

_Forget…_

_"Forget…?"_

_Forget the 'love' you once thought you knew…and live a life with me…_

_"…Forget…So- -…"_

_Do not utter his name! This is your sin! I am your savior…I will save you from __**his**__ pain…_

_"…Tell me what to do…"_

_Forget him…and bathe in my existence…I will be the only one that will ever truly love you in this world…seal your heart away so **he** may never reach you…_

_"…yes…"_

_I will make your pain disappear…my __**still doll**__…_

_"…yes…shihan…"  
_

* * *

The room was silent and dark but it comforted the young boy as he slept. His face held a pained expression as he breathed soundly, an oxymoron come to life. The only living source near was the young meister who continued to watch in worry as she held the boy's hand ever so tightly in hers.

"Soul-kun…please be ok…" she whispered, leaning close to his face in hope her words would breathe life into him. She had sat by his bed side since she had placed him there after his sudden collapse, afraid to be away from him. The sight of him collapsing scared to no end but she knew it had something to do with his original meister. "Poor _ragazzo_…you have same fate as I…" she whispered as a single tear fell from her eye.

"Mauri…"

The painful voice made the young girl jump before her eyes instantly shot over to the boy and found his eyes opened half way. "Ah, Soul-kun! Are you ok? How you feel?"

"…I feel light headed…and my chest hurts…it feels heavy…"

_*The same as I…* _Mauri thought, dropping her eyes away from the painful sight.

"What happened?" Soul asked as he slowly sat up, hand holding his head.

"I not sure, we were getting food and then you fall. I carried you here. You been asleep since…" Mauri informed, a frown pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"I just fell?" he gave her a confused look, "Huh…I guess something was in my system…" he answered as he made his way to the edge of the bed but stopped. "Wait…have you been sitting here ever since?"

Mauri blushed, "A-Ah…S-Sì. I-I did not want to leave you alone…I was scared that bad would happen to you…" she answered honestly, blushing a deeper red.

"Thank you."

The girl froze, her heart skipping a beat as she looked up to find a smile on his face. "You do not need thank me Soul-kun…you and I are partners, Sì?" she smiled back.

"Yeah, we are," he slung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. "Huh?" he looked down at his hand and found Mauri's hand woven tightly in his. "Uhhhhh…."

"Hm? What is it…?" Mauri looked up at Soul's flushed face and followed the boy's stare to find their hands. "Oh! Hahaha!" the girl instantly released his hand and quickly stood from her seat. "Sorry! I go take shower now," she rubbed the back of her head, laughing nervously as she ran out the room.

Soul stood still, hand extended in place from where the young meister left it. He slowly looked down at his hand and found a small pulse going through it. A smile slowly formed on his face before he walked towards the bathroom for a well deserved shower.

* * *

"Oi, Tsubaki."

"Eh? Oh, Kiddo-kun, good morning," the tall weapon turned to give the raven haired boy a warm smile.

"Can I speak with you?" Kidd asked, expressionless.

Tsubaki blinked at the foreign sight, "Uh, sure. Is there something wrong?" her heart beat quickened as soon as the question left her mouth.

"I have a favor to ask of you and Black*."

"What is it?"

"I want both of you to not mention Maka's name to Soul ever again…"

Tsubaki's eyes widened. "What are you saying Kiddo-kun…? Why would we need to…? Did something happen…?"

"Trust me; it'll be better this way."

"But I don't understand why we must do this!"

"Because if we don't they both will suffer!" Kidd's sudden outburst made the woman flinch. "…Their bonds are broken…if we continue to speak about Maka to Soul…it'll only cause him more pain…" he closed his eyes as he turned to walk away.

"…No…" Tsubaki breathed, tears forming in her eyes. "There has to be something…"

"It was only a matter of time before it happened…you know what it is to lose someone Tsubaki…don't make this anymore painful then it has to be…" Kidd whispered as he walked away, leaving a crying Tsubaki behind.

* * *

"Oi, Kiddo, are you sure this can't be fixed? Maka-chan and Soul-kun I mean…"

"No, it's too late for it now."

"C'mon Kidd, there's always a wa- -."

"There isn't unless you want Maka and Soul to suffer!" Kidd turned and screamed at his weapon.

Liz silently stared back at the angry boy.

The young meister took in a deep breath as he placed his hand on his face, "…I'm sorry…I just…everything seems so…difficult…Don't you think I want things to go back to the way things were…? I want it to be how it was too, but we need a plan if we want things to work…" Kidd released a breath, trying to calm his frustration.

"So, you telling everyone to keep their mouths shut about Maka is to buy time then…?" Liz quietly asked, heart squeezing from sadness.

"Yes, because if everyone were to utter her name, his soul would instinctively attempt to form a bond with her in vain…because they're not on the same wavelength anymore…their souls are too out for tune for each other…and thus it would be a painful process for both weapon and meister…" Kidd turned and continued to walk towards his father's room.

"…Will you be able to save them…?" she asked in a whisper.

Kidd paused before entering the room and looked over his shoulder at the sad woman, "…I hope so…"

* * *

"Oh, Kiddo-kun, what brings you here my son?" the tall dark man looked over at the young boy from on top of his stage.

"Father, I have a request to ask of you," the boy walked over towards his father before taking his seat in a large chair made for a king.

"Hm? A request? What is it?"

"I'd like it if you made the announcement that no one is to talk about Maka to Soul at all." Kidd's eyes became serious.

"Eh? Why would I do that?" the man scratched his head with a confused expression on his mask.

"Father, don't play games, you know as well as I do that Soul and Maka's bond is broken, if they were to hear the other's name…"

"Yes, I understand. I have already informed every instructor of the situation and it is the reason why the students were called to arrive early today so we can inform them as well. I don't want Maka-chan or Soul-kun to hurt anymore than they already do…"

"Then stop all of this!" Kidd jumped out of his chair, "Tell Maka that she doesn't need these stupid credits! Her grades aren't important as her bond with her weapon!"

"I cannot interfere any longer Kiddo…" the man gave an apologetic look.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the boy screamed, "Just send Mauri back to where she came from!"

"I cannot interfere with a new bond forming Kiddo…you know that."

The boy flinched, "No...you can't mean…" his eyes widened with fear.

"Yes…I do…" the shinigami's eyes turned sad, "I may be powerful but I cannot interfere with the soul's bond…this is beyond my ability my son…"

Kidd fell back into his chair, head hung low in defeat as he gritted his teeth, "…There has to be a way…please father, tell me there is a way!" he pleaded, lifting his head to stare at the man with tears in his eyes.

"…I'm sorry my son, I cannot help anymore…If Maka-chan and Soul-kun were to ever be partners again, Mauri would have to die or both she and Soul-kun would have to break their bond of their own free will…there is no other way…"

* * *

"Neh, Mauri."

"Hm, yes Soul-kun?" the young meister turned to look at Soul as they continued to walk home from school.

"…Did it seem like everyone in class was keeping something from us?"

"What are you talk about?" Mauri shifted her eyes.

"…I'm not sure…it just felt like something is up…you didn't feel it?" his concerned eyes pulled at the meister's heart.

"…I think it is your mind playing a game with you…" she uttered before looking away from the boy.

* * *

_And it continued to be the same…day by day…the two __**souls**__ slowly became further buried in their own lie until soon they forgot the other…__**weeks**__ turned into __**months**__…the yarn of unspoken prevaricates never ceased to end…__**or so it seemed…**_


	29. Life

**A/N: thank you thank you thank YOU! to everyone who left a nice review ^^ but a BIG thanks goes to .Evans, you made me smile the widest :D (gracias otra vez!) ^^ keep them coming! Hope you like the chapter but I know many will be sad :( it does get better...but not for a loooong while...sorry :( keep faith! ~Mizu**

* * *

"_So much **hate** for the ones we love…_" the words left her mouth quietly, almost a whisper. Her hand slowly stretched out in front of her as she laid there, staring at every detail. "_…Tell me we both matter…don't we?_" Her hand quickly tightened into a fist before she let it fall freely onto the soft bed near her. The blankets were spread around her in a mess. The dark room was filled with scents of passion, lust, and desire. Insence was burning silently nearby, clouding the room with its toxic breath. "…what are you thinking?" she spoke, emotionless as she watched the smoke dance above her.

The room was silent until a deep voice came forth, "…just taking in your beauty…"

The emotionless girl slowly sat up, a head rush making her mind swirl in excitement. The heat had made her strip of most of her clothes but she still remained in her underwear, unfazed by the man's presence. "…do you really believe I am beautiful?" she uttered as she crawled over to him with a grin on her face.

The man chuckled, "Are you suggesting I'm lying?" he grinned back as he held her cheek in his hand.

"Would you lie to me…?" she turned and kissed his palm before straddling him.

"Do you believe I would do such a thing?" he asked, burring his face in her warm chest before kissing the sensitive skin underneath his lips.

The girl took a sharp breath as she arched her back, exposing her chest to the man's every whim. She slowly began to grind against him as she slid her hands in his snow white hair. "_It doesn't hurt me…you wanna know how it feels…? You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me…you wanna hear about the deal I'm making…Shihan?_"

The man looked up with bright crimson eyes, "_If you only could, make a deal with **God**…Maka-chan…_" he grinned before pulling her into a deceitful, obscure kiss.

* * *

Soul walked down the street towards his apartment with a small box in hand. It was the beginning of November, the days began to grow colder and the wind grew much stronger now. But with the new month came Mauri's birthday, something the meister wasn't looking forward to.

_"You're not looking forward to your birthday?" Soul frowned at hearing the depressing news._

_"No, I am not excited…" the brown haired girl confessed with a sad smile._

_"But why not? It only comes once a year…" he asked with a confused expression._

_"Because…somehow…spending this birthday away from Italy…it hurts my heart…" she explained before turning to hide her tears but Soul already knew._

_*I don't want to see her cry ever again…not while I'm her partner.*_ Soul thought with a determined smile on his face. The boy had woken early that Saturday morning and went into town to buy the meister's gift. The whole week leading up to her special day had been looking for possible gifts until he finally found the right one just for her.

In a little jewelry shop, a certain necklace caught his eye that consisted of shiny diamond-like stones that shined so bright. Along with the stones were grey colored roses that complemented the stones' beauty. The perfectly cluster of a design was held by two black beaded strands from the top right and left and two gold chains from the bottom right and left. He knew she would like it but he still had the fear of uncertainty lingering around which made him nervous.

_*Oh, I almost forgot, I need some sort of cake…*_ he thought quickly before heading off towards the nearby bakery. "Ohayou Kan-jiji," Soul greeted the elderly man.

"Ah, Ohayou Soru-kun, how can I help you?" the man smiled warmly as he wiped his hands on his apron.

"I need a small cake for a friend, it's her birthday," the boy informed as he looked at all the cakes on display.

"Ah, do you mean Mak- -."

"Chichi! The phone's for you!" a voice came from the back room.

"I'm coming, excuse me; I'll be right back Soru-kun."

"Take your time." Soul raised his eyebrow, confused at what the man was going to say but quickly dismissed it and continued to search.

"Gomen Soul-kun, my father had a phone call from my mother," a smiling woman came from the back.

"It's fine. Nice to see you Julia-san."

"Likewise," the raven haired woman smiled. She was a tall slender woman with light, fair skin. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun but Soul had seen her long hair reach the bottom of her back when let loose. "What can I get for you? Did you say it was for your friend's birthday?"

"Mm, yeah. She's from Italy so do you have anything she might like?"

"Oh, she's foreign?" the woman grinned, "I just finished a cake that just so happens to be Italian based. Would you like to see it?"

"Sure."

"I'll get it, hang on." Julia disappeared a moment to the back but reappeared with cake in hand. "Here it is," she placed it on the counter in front of him and smiled. The cake was a dark brown with light brown colored whip cream flowers on top with raspberries placed gently in between each flower.

"Oh, it looks good…you just finished making this?" Soul looked up at the woman in amazement.

"Mm-hmm, and I worked hard on it so do you want it?" she smiled.

"What's in it?"

"Vanilla flavored Ricotta cheese covered by chocolate with pudding mixed in and chocolate flavored whip cream on the top, very sweet."

"Oh wow…how much?" he asked as he reached for his wallet but was stopped.

"It's no charge, really. I made it in hope someone like you with your situation would come along and claim it, and you did." She smiled as she took the cake and formed a box around it before placing it back on the counter.

"But…I can't just take this Julia-san…you worked hard on it." Soul refused.

"Just tell me if she liked it and that'll be my payment, alright? I want to know if a real Italian thinks my Italian cake was authentic to be considered even close enough to be called Italian," she laughed as she gently placed the box in a paper bag and handed it to the boy.

Soul slowly took it from her hand, "You sure about it?"

"I'm positive. Just let me know if she liked it ok?" she smiled.

"Um…ok. Well, thanks. Tell Kan-jiji I said bye."

"I will, enjoy." She waved with a smile on her face.

* * *

"Oi…Maaauriiii…wake upppp…" Soul sung playfully as he tried to wake the sleeping girl.

The young meister moaned before her eyes fluttered open slowly to find a grinning face. "A-Ah! S-Soul-kun! What is it? Is something wrong? Do you hurt again?" she frantically asked.

Soul stopped her with a finger on her lips. "Everything is fine, but today is special." He took her hands in his and pulled her out of bed.

"Soul-kun, where are you taking me?" she asked, embarrassed that Soul had to see her in her current attire.

"Close your eyes,"

"Eh?" Mauri's eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. "W-Why?"

"I have a surprise, so just do it." The boy waited until she finally closed her eyes and let herself be led into the kitchen. His hands left hers only moment before he spoke, "Ok, open your eyes."

Her brown eyes slowly opened to find Soul holding a box with a necklace inside that shined bright. "Oh Soul…" her hands instantly covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. "It is beautiful…" she breathed as her tears began to fall.

Soul moved aside to reveal the cake he had gotten with only a single candle lit in the center. "Happy birthday Mauri Napolitano."

The meister's eyes widened as her jaw fell open wide.

"Do you recognize it? It's Italian, or at least that's what the baker said…" he explained.

"…Yes…I know what this is…" she breathed. Mauri looked over at the boy and blushed, "iGrazie/i Soul…" she hugged him hard as she continued to cry.

"Don't cry, it's your birthda- -"

Soul was cut off by Mauri's sudden kiss. His eyes widened as his body froze in place. The girl felt his uneasiness and slowly stopped the kiss to look up at him. Soul blinked before looking down at the silent blushing girl. He slowly smiled as he took in her beauty and couldn't help but be lost in her large brown eyes. "Happy birthday Mauri…" he whispered against her lips before he kissed her.

* * *

**A/N: the lyrics Maka used in the beginning of the chapter is from Placebo, the song is called _Running Up That Hill_. I don't own the song or Soul Eater & characters :) Mauri (c) me**


	30. Creep

The gentle voice of the many students filled the classroom with soft laughter and smiles. It was the beginning of December and everyone was dressed to keep warm including Professor Stein, wearing his black and grey stripped scarf loosely around his neck. He had just finished his lecture on different abilities gained while in a soul resonance before he allowed his students the freedom to do as they pleased, within reason, for the remainder of the class. Black* was busy working on a drawing of himself that seemed to have captured his full attention while Tsubaki remained silent and depressed beside him; still bothered by the unfortunate news regarding Soul and Maka. Mauri laughed lightly as Soul continued to tell her about the latest CD he purchased by one of his favorite musician.

"I should listen to this person some time, he sounds good."

"He is but damn I hate that he won't be touring near here…I really wanna see him." Soul sighed as he lowered his head to his desk in frustration.

"I am sure he will," the girl tried to cheer the boy up before she looked around a moment with a concerned expression.

"What's up?"

"I do not see your friends…the boy with black hair and white stripes and the twin girls…" she frowned.

Soul looked over at the usual spot Death the Kidd and the Thompson sisters sat but only found it empty. "Yeah, they haven't been here all week…But I wouldn't worry 'bout it." Soul shrugged before closing his eyes.

"But will they not get in trouble? Is it not important they be in class to learn?"

"Not really…"

"Why is that?"

"Cuz he's Shinigami-sama's son…he can get away with ditchin' whenever he wants…" Soul snorted, upset at the fact.

"Oh, I did not know…"

***DING*DONG*DING***

_"Napolitano, Mauri…come to Shinigami-sama's office…Napolitano, Mauri…come to Shinigami-sama's office…"_

Both weapon and meister looked up at the intercom before looking at each other with a confused expression.

"What the hell…?" Soul spoke in slight anger.

"Why am I to be called? Did I do something wrong?" Mauri asked, fear painted on her face.

"Marui-kun, you are free to go." Stein instructed from behind his desk as he turned the screw in his head a couple of clicks.

"Y-Yes sir," the young girl slowly stood up from her chair before heading towards the door with everyone's eyes glued to her.

"Soul-kun, where you going?" Professor Stein asked.

The white haired boy paused at the door, "Going with her, is that a problem?" he answered over his shoulder before leaving the room.

* * *

"I am scared Soul-kun, do you think I did something?" Mauri walked with her hands trembling at her sides.

"Marui, chill. You're such a goodie goodie, I highly doubt Shinigami-sama is gonna rip you a new one, ok?" Soul sighed.

"…What does that mean? 'Rip you a new one'?" she questioned with a confused expression.

Soul covered his eyes with his hand and snorted, "Nothing, don't worry 'bout it," he held his need to laugh.

Marui quickly discarded Soul's comment and headed towards the large double doors that lead to her fate. She paused, looking up at the big doors that made her feel so small and sped her heart up. Her trance was instantly broken once Soul's warm hand held hers gently. She quickly looked over at the weapon and found a determined smile on his face that took her fear and uncertainty away. The brown haired girl nodded back before reaching out to open the door but just as her hand was about to touch it, the door opened a crack.

"Come in Mauri…my father is waiting for you…"

"Huh? What you doin' here Kiddo?" Soul asked, taken aback by the sudden sight.

"What are **you** doing here Soul? My father only called for Mauri. You can wait outside here," the boy instructed with narrow eyes.

"No way, I'm going with her," Soul angrily shot back.

"It will be ok Soul-kun. I go and you wait for me, yes?" the young girl purposed.

Soul slowly pulled his eyes away from Kidd and looked down at her, "…Fine, I'll wait right here." He quickly answered, glaring back at the boy.

Mauri slowly left her weapon's side and entered the room before Kidd closed the door behind her. It had been months since the last time she had been in his office and it still amazed her to see such an enormous, infinite room with large moving clouds.

"I'm sure you've seen me before…and you must know my name by now…but I'll introduce myself nonetheless…I am Death the Kidd, son of the reaper, and the next in line as his successor." His voice was cold as he introduced himself, staring hard at the quiet girl.

"Ah, yes I have heard of you from Soul-kun. You have twins as weapons, yes?" Mauri smiled, "My name is Mauri Napolitano, very nice to meet you, Kidd-san," she smiled as she extended her hand so they could shake but was denied. Kidd stood there; staring at the girl as her expression slowly fell along with her hand. "What is wrong? I was told shaking hands was how you greet here…am I wrong?" she frowned.

"Why are you here?" the boy finally spoke, his eyes burning a hole through her.

Mauri flinched, "…I do not understand. I was called by Shinigami-sama…" she looked around for the tall man, "…where is he?" she asked with fear in her voice.

"…I am the one who called you here."

Her heart sank, "O-Oh…well why is it you need? Have I done something wrong? Or did you call so we can finally meet?"

"You know why I called you…" his voice lowered, poison dripping from each word.

"…N-No I do no- -"

"Yes you do! Why did you come to Shibusen?" the raven haired boy screamed, anger rising.

Mauri felt fear trickling down her spine, "I-I do not understand- -."

"Yes you do! Stop making a fool out of everyone!"

"Oi! Kiddo! What are you doing?" Soul screamed from behind the door, "Open the door! Stop yelling at her!" he shook the door as he tried to open it but was locked.

Mauri's eyes were filled with fear as she noticed the boy advancing towards her with an angry expression. She took a step away from him but was stopped by the boy's tight grasp on her small wrist, making her let out a small yelp from the touch.

"You think you can fool everyone into believing your lies but I know the truth…" Kidd leaned in close, just inches away from her face, "Now tell me why you're here!"

"I-I do not know! My uncle forced me to come!"

"Mauri!" Soul screamed as he forced his way through the large doors and ran to her side and pushed the boy aside with his scythe arm. "What the hell is your problem? Get away from her!" Soul screamed as he pulled her into his chest, shielding her from his sight. "What's gotten into you?"

Kidd glared at the both of them in silence.

"You stay away from Mauri, got that?" he ordered with his teeth barred before turning to head out the door with Mauri in front of him.

"**…She isn't all innocent in this game Soul…**"

* * *

The dark room was warm with the gentle breathing of Soul and Mauri. It had been hours since they both arrived at their apartment after leaving Shibusen but all Mauri wanted to do was lay in her bed without saying a word. Soul hated to see her this way; it hurt him because he knew Mauri wasn't one to be depressed or silent. The days after her birthday, they had unknowingly began dating even though neither one had asked the other. Soul felt happy with her and some nights it felt as if they never slept because they always stayed up talking about anything and everything. They got used to sleeping next to the other because their souls felt so close when they did but not only that, their souls craved it now.

At first it was hard getting used to the idea they were dating because neither one had really dated anyone. Everything was a learning experience for the both of them but they did only what came naturally. With time they let themselves explore each other in ways no one else would but they never crossed the line. They always stopped before they reached that point for their own reasons. Soul always feared he would go too far and thus risking Mauri's distance. Mauri always felt a small pain in her heart every time they became so close but she also didn't want a chance to hurt her partner either. They both were at a standstill.

"…Do you wanna talk 'bout it?" Soul gently whispered as he nuzzled his face into the back of her neck.

Mauri continued to stare at the white wall in silence. Even with Soul's arms around her as they lay there couldn't get her to break her silence.

"Ignore what Kidd said, he was being a jerk. I don't get why he was being such an ass. He isn't normally like that…" he reassured her but no response came. He finally mustered enough courage to turn her to face him and gently kissed her. He softly stroked her cheek with his hand as he continued to kiss her but he felt no response from her so he decided to head for her nape, one of her weaknesses. He gently kissed her sensitive skin as he inhaled her intoxicating scent that drove him so crazy. His tongue licked the curve of her neck, earning a small shiver from the girl which brought a smile to his face. He wanted her to react more to his actions, so much more. He was so lost in his ecstasy he almost didn't feel the wet drop on his cheek.

Soul stopped and pulled away from her neck to find Mauri silently crying. "Mauri, what's wrong? Do you not like it? I'm sorry; I'll stop if you don't. You coulda just told me, I woulda stopped," Soul frantically moved away from her, ashamed he had made her cry.

"No…it is not you Soul-kun…I am so sorry…" she sat up and cried in her hands.

"Hey, don't cry anymore…what's wrong? You can talk to me…" he moved closer to her and pulled her into his bare chest.

"…he was telling the truth…" she sobbed.

"Huh? Who was?"

"Kidd-san…everything is my fault…" she cried louder.

"I don't understand. Mauri don't beat yourself up. C'mon now, it isn't your fault. Stop cryin- -."

"No! I must tell you the truth!" she cut him off as she pulled out of his arms to look straight at him.

"…tell me what…?" Soul whispered, expressionless.

The young girl slowly felt her sobs taking over and soon she began to cry again, looking down at her hands as her tears fell from her cheeks. "…I did not want to do this…I did not want any of this…I fell in love with you…but now I must tell you my sins…" she looked away, "…I did not leave _Italia_ to prove my _famiglia's_ worth like I first said to you…" she blinked, releasing more tears.

"…does it really matter why you came? You're here now and that's all I care about Mauri…I fell in love with you too…I don't care why- -."

"Yes, you will…" she quickly cut him off.

"Why would I care…?"

The meister cried, "…Because if I did not leave…my weapon, Santiago, was to **die**…"


	31. Truth

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews once again. By now, if you haven't figured it out yet, some time had passed since Maka and Soul had last seen each other. Not in years but in between a month and 2 months. For those asking if this is a MakaxSoul story, yes it is. However, there is a lot that needs to happen before that kind of ending is to happen. In this chapter, there is a lot of Italian vocabulary so I wrote the meaning in parenthesis just in case I lose some of you in this chapter ;-; thanks again for reading and please keep faith~ Mizu**

* * *

"What do you mean your weapon was to die if you didn't come to Shibusen?" Soul stared back at the crying girl in confusion, baffled by her reason. He couldn't come up with an answer that would explain what she had just confessed.

Mauri slowly calmed her sobs before taking a deep breath and exhaling; closing her eyes to steady her beating heart. "…It was in the new year…my _famiglia_ had big celebration where everyone was invited…it was very beautiful…but I know something was wrong…" her eyes became distant as she replayed the event in her mind.  
**~*~**

A happy Mauri was dressed in a very slim, fitting cream white dress with a dark brown belt around her small waist. Her hair rested gently on her shoulders in large, wavy curls. She wore a pair of earrings consisting of a dozen tiny medallion coins woven together; jingling with every step she took. On her feet were a pair of dark brown sandals with straps that wove around her feet, up her ankle and stopped at her lower calf.

"What do you think of your uncle's celebration _mi principessa(my princess)_?"

She looked over at the familiar perfect speaking Italian voice and found her very handsome weapon walking towards her. He wore a very fitting black suit with a white button up shirt underneath his black blazer. His jet black hair was combed and gelled back from its normal position on his forehead. He always favored wearing such depressing colors but Mauri was satisfied with his emerald eyes that seemed to shine so bright. To her, that was the only color she needed.

"_Si_," she smiled warmly as he gently placed his hand around her bare shoulders, "it's very extravagant, isn't it?" her Italian was perfectly spoken with each and every word.

"I couldn't agree more…but I know you better than most, what is troubling you _principessa_?" he looked down at the small girl.

Santiago had always towered over her tiny self ever since they were first introduced at childhood. Mauri was only 9 years old while the weapon was 12 going on 13 at the time. Even then she was mesmerized by his bright emerald eyes. "…I can't hide anything from you can I?" she lightly chuckled.

"It is my job to know everything _principessa mia(my princess)_. Besides, I can feel your wavelength is worried…" his eyebrows came together with concern. "Even in this crowed room I can pick you out easily."

"It's nothing…I just feel an uneasy feeling from my uncle…" she glanced around the large room in which the party was held. It was a large ball room with a large chandelier handing from the ceiling. A wall of glass windows let everyone have a perfect view of the large estate outside.

"_Il Principe(The Prince)_? How so?"

"I see him with such worry on his face before he was summoned by an unknown man…he's been speaking to that man for a long time…" Mauri spoke with her eyes glued to the room on the top of the stairs.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he can take care of whatever ill situations they might be discussing."

_Santiago tried to keep my mind off the matter but it still worried me…it was only until weeks after that it was brought up again by mi padre(my father)…_

"You called _Padre_?" Mauri spoke as she walked up to her father's desk with Santiago behind her, quietly standing steps away as he was once taught.

The tall muscular man looked up at his daughter with his dark brown orbs. His beard was neatly trimmed but still had a rugged appearance that made the massive man look even more intimidating. But to Mauri, he was the gentle giant who raised her and her 7 older brothers after their mother passed away when she was just 5 years old.

"_Si figlia(yes daughter)_, come and sit. There is something important I wish to discuss with you…" he ran his giant hand down his beard with a worried expression.

"What is it?" the young girl quickly took the seat in front of the man's desk, scared by the expression on her father's face. "What causes you to have such an expression painted on your face?"

The man sighed heavily, "You know _mi fratello, Il Principe(my brother, The Prince)_? Well, he has requested to speak with you, _mi amore(my love)_," the man's eyes looked down at his hands in sadness.

"…_Padre_…why do I feel like you are keeping something from me?" her eyes began to fill up with tears. "This task you ask of me seems simple…but you are the one who taught me, '_niente nella vita è semplice_'('nothing in life is simple')…"

_And I was right…I went to my Uncle's estate…and just as I thought…my life was to change from that day on…_

"I don't understand! Why would you have me leave to go to a place I know nothing of, _mi principe(my prince)_?" Mauri yelled, fear creeping from the pit of her stomach.

The man in front of her had his back turned to her, silent as he watched the clouds float by in the night sky. In his old age his hair had reseated and only covered the lower area of his head near his ears and around the back. His light brown eyes were large and still held sign of life but his face was worn down by his 85 years of living.

"There is no way out of this Mauri. I need you…you're country needs you as well," his voice was shaky but he held his composure as he turned to face her.

"You're not making sense to me! Why are you saying these things to me?" Mauri's tears began to flow and at that moment, she wished Santiago was in the room to hold her but he was forbidden from entering the room.

"_Per favore(please)_ don't cry, you would be saving your country by saving my life…"

"What? What are you talking about?" she hysterically asked.

"Someone has threatened my life…and if I were to die, who knows what could happen? Someone could easily storm in and control _Italia_. Do you wish for that to happen to me? To _Italia_?"

_My eyes were big from fear, because for the first time ever in mi vita(in my life)…Il Principe showed his fear…_

Mauri clenched her fists in anger as she cried. "…Why send me? Why not one of _mi fratelli(my borhters)_? Matteo is stronger than I am and he's the oldest!"

"It has nothing to do with being the oldest Mauri…it has to be you. No one else can do it…"

"I refuse!" she screamed, "_Mi vita è mia(my life is mine)_!" Mauri declared before turning towards the door to leave.

"If you do not obey my orders, I will take Santiago away from you!"

Mauri froze in her steps as his voice rang throughout the large room. She slowly turned to face the man once more, "That is impossible, Santiago would never leave my side...**ever**." She growled, insulted that he would even attempt such a threat.

"He will be taken by Death…"

_And it was just like that that my life came to where I am now…  
**~*~**  
_

Mauri slowly opened her eyes to find a speechless Soul with sympathetic eyes watching her.

"…I did not come to Shibusen to prove my _famiglia's(family's)_ worth…I was too ashamed to tell the truth…because my _famiglia_ threw me away…" she looked down at her hands in sadness.

"But…why did you take that from him? Couldn't you have ran away or something?"

She shook her head, "_Il Principe_ is a very powerful man...it was because of this that I had no other choice…but I cried and begged with everything I had but he would not listen…" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, "He chose to keep his power over his own niece!" she screamed, causing Soul to pull her trembling body close to his. "I broke the bond between me and Santiago…it was the most painful thing I ever felt…" she whimpered.

"He didn't tell you why? Why it had to be you?" he tried to calm her down.

"No, he didn't tell me…but I know who is behind this…" her voice became cold and flat.

"You know who's behind everything? Well then why don't we just go kick some ass and get you home?" Soul quickly suggested, trying hard to hold his emotions together.

Mauri shook her head again, "No, it is not important right now…" she slowly pulled out of his arms and laid down, facing the wall.

"Just tell me who the person is! I'll get back at them I swear!" Soul pleaded.

"No!" Mauri snapped, making Soul flinch. She slowly sat up and looked at the silent boy, "I am happy where I am Soul-kun…I am happy to be here with you…do you wish to lose me to Santiago?"

Soul looked down at the space between them, "…No…I want you here with me…" he whispered, ashamed of being selfish.

"Then why do you wish for me to return to the country that sacrificed me for their life?" she lifted his chin to look him straight in his eyes.

"…Because I thought it would make you happy…to be home in Italy…"

"I have nothing to go back to…" she whispered, "This is my home, no?" she leaned in close to his face, just inches away from his lips.

Soul slowly nodded as he watched her slowly lean in and kiss him.

_I wish for Santiago's safety…and I will do anything to keep him safe…_, she thought to herself as a single tear escaped her eye.

Soul pulled out of their kiss to kiss her cheek where her tear was. He quickly recaptured her lips once more before laying her down underneath him with the laughing moon drooling crimson blood from its mouth.


	32. Regret

With each day that passed his anger rose. Everything around him seemed to continue living life as carefree as it once was. Even with Kishin eggs showing up here and there, every student and teacher didn't care that Maka Albarn was gone. Even his father seemed to have forgotten the light brown haired meister and turned his back on her in response.

_*It sickens me…*_, he thought, eyebrows knit close together in anger.

_Why don't you just speak with her?_

He remembered Liz asking questions that might benefit him but it wasn't that simple. His most recent visit he saw Maka, she seemed not herself. Her appearance was normal but her eyes were distant; gone. It pained him to see her that way. It seemed she was losing herself to an empty void that was slowly growing from loneliness.

_What do I tell her, Liz? I tried offering my house before and she refused_, Kidd angrily snapped at his weapon. _I shouldn't have snapped at her like that…but lately everything has been pissing me off_, he thought to himself. Liz and Patty had both stayed out of his path both at home and at school. They didn't know where Kidd was half of the time because he would up and leave without a word to either one of them.

**_She's in love…_**

The words rang in his head and made him freeze in his tracks. _What are you talking about?,_ he nearly spat the words at his weapon.

_I heard from Tsubaki that Maka might be in love with her instructor…_

"No!" Kidd roared, voice echoing down the empty hall. "She couldn't be…not with a man like that…" he growled, anger forming from the pit of his stomach. He was too embarrassed to admit it to anyone but he cared deeply for Maka like no other. He understood the relationship between her and Soul was a sacred one that only a meister and weapon could experience, but the relationship he wished they shared was just as close. He didn't dare think she was in love with another man, let alone Soul's brother.

He finally stormed into his father's office after reaching the large wooden doors at the end of the hallway. The shinigami was just about to take a sip from his tea when his son came in.

"Kiddo? What are you doing-?"

"I spoke to Mauri, Father. She's here under false pretenses," the young meister cut him off.

"I don't know where you're going with this…"

"She was forced to come! She didn't do it out of free will!" Kidd screamed.

"Her uncle enrolled her, you know him, my Death Scythe from Italy." The masked man stood from his table to stand in front of his son, anger slowly rising from being interrupted as if he were a child. "Giorgio explained he wanted her here for the sake of their family."

Kidd was confused by the information. "But that doesn't make sense, why would he…? I mean, what did he mean by- -?"

"**Stop**. Stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong Kiddo." The man's voice became deep with authority.

"I will not Father…" he barred his teeth in anger, "With all due respect, I will deny you that wish because Maka is important to me…and I wish to save her from herself…"

The shinigami's mask turned cold and hard with the expression of seething rage. "Go home, now. I don't want to speak to you anymore."

"I will do no such thing…" Kidd uttered before running out the room.

* * *

She stared at her hand through the crack of her eyes past her long lashes. Last night he held her hand tightly, fingers laced in his as he breathed into her ear. Each breath met her ear with a rushed, hot gush of air that sent shivers down her spine from her scalp. His tongue brushed against her neck before he kissed the hot skin underneath his lips. She had taken in a sharp breath when he first broke the seal but now she had molded to him. It was something new both of them have never experienced but to her, a part of her was lost that won't be found again.

The young girl blinked and stretched her hand open before tightly closing it into a fist. She slowly picked herself up with her hands and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, revealing her bare, smooth legs. Her head turned to look over at the sound coming from outside the room. It sounded like water hitting a flat surface with an echo.

_*He's in the shower*_, she came to the conclusion as she stood up and walked to the bathroom, naked. Clothes were spread all across the room; he had thrown them in the middle of it all, not caring where anything landed. But now that she looked at it, it made her feel that much worse inside.

Her body felt sore, foreign. Her thighs ached but they still managed to carry her to bathroom to take a shower. The sound of the water hitting against the marble tub drowned out the screaming silence.

Images from last night filled her eyes with tears as her heart throbbed with guilt. *_What have I done?*_ the voice in her head cried. She lowered her head until her forehead rested on the shower wall, eyes tightly shut as the hot water rolled down her face. *_Why did this happen?_*

**_Do everything necessary to fulfill your duty_**.

The foreign voice inside her head forced her eyes open. She remembered what was required of her. *_My duty is…_*

A knock froze her thoughts instantly, heart pounding hard against her chest. "Y-Yes?" she quickly stammered, placing her hands over her heart.

"…Mauri? Do you wanna get breakfast with me…?"

*_Soul*_, she thought. "N-No, I am ok. I will just stay here." She quickly answered.

"C'mon…" he whined quietly, "you'll like this place, it's really good."

"I am ok…do not worry, you can go." She muttered, voice shaking.

"You sure? Are you ok?" his voice became sincere and closer to the door. "…Is this about last night…?" his voice quivered.

Mauri hesitated, "…No, I am just tired and a bit sore."

Soul blushed behind the door, "O-Oh yeah," he chuckled nervously, "sorry about that…well, I'll get some food ok?"

"Uh-huh," she uttered, eyes falling down to her bare feet.

"Ok, I'll be back. You have my number." Soul hesitated, "I-I love you…" he muttered, embarrassed.

"…_Ti amo anche(i love you too)_, Soul…" she breathed, a single tear fell down her cheek.

Mauri could hear the smile on his face as he spoke, "I'll be back, c'ya." She waited until she heard the front door close before she finally let herself fall to the floor and cried.

* * *

It had been only 10 minutes since Soul had left and Mauri sat alone in her shadowed room, trying to gather herself up before he returned. Her eyes were distant as she stared at the wall, blank expression painted on her face. Her heart skipped a beat when a strong knocking came from the door.

"He must be back…that was quick…" she commented as she slowly slid off the bed and walked towards the front door. She must have walked slowly because another hard knock came from behind the door. "Coming," she called out, taking bigger steps before reaching the door and opening it, only to be face to face with narrow yellow eyes.

"Kiddo-san…" her breath escaped her lungs as her eyes widened and her heart began to race.

"Where's Soul?" he asked coldly, entering the apartment as he looked around for any sign of the weapon before closing the door behind him.

Mauri was filled with fear as she took uneasy retreating steps away from the boy, "I-I…he is not here…h-he left." She uttered.

"Where did he go?" he brought his glare directly at her.

"H-H left for food…"

"Why are you here?" he asked in a snarl.

"B-Because I did not want to go…"

"No, why are you here at Shibusen? Answer me and it better be the truth." He took a step toward her.

"I have nothing to say…" she finally stood her ground and stared him down. "It is not your business."

"I make it my business when my friends are involved!" he yelled, making Mauri jump at his loud voice.

"I-I cannot…" she began to cry. "It is not my secret to keep…" tears streamed down her face.

"I have to save my friend so just tell me what you know so I can save her." He pressured, ignoring her tears.

She sobbed but finally came to her senses, "Fine…I will tell you my story."

* * *

The raven haired boy took a deep breath to calm himself down after the young girl finished her story. It seemed Mauri wasn't responsible in the first place in this messed up story he called "Life".

"If it isn't you, then who is pulling the strings?" he asked after rubbing his tired eyes.

"…I cannot say…" she muttered, taking a seat on the couch and placing her hands on her knees.

"What do you mean you can't say? You have to tell me what you know now!" he yelled as he formed his hands into fists. "…For Maka's sake tell me…" he gritted his teeth.

Mauri's eyes widened, "What is this about Maka-kun?"

"I plan on taking her away from Wes so she can live with me…Soul doesn't give a shit about her anymore- -."

"That is not true!" Mauri cut him off, causing the boy to drop his attitude. "Soul loves her…but it is his mind that protects him so he does not know it…but I can tell…" she admitted, voice shaking from sadness.

"Whatever," he finally regained his hardness, "regardless of whether he remembers or not, I'm going to take her from Wes…" he gave her a cold glare before turning to leave but was stopped.

"Wait! Do not do this. Wes is not a man to deal with. He is not a good man, Kiddo-san…"

Kidd slowly turned to face her once more, "How do you know him?" his eyes narrowed.

She flinched. "I-I once saw him when I first arrive at Shibusen…we met before I met Soul…" her eyes shifted from the boy to the ground nervously.

"Why?"

"I-I do not know…he asked Shinigami-sama to see me before I saw Soul…"

Kidd was silent as he studied her actions and thought about the information that was just given to him. *_Why would he want to meet her?_*

"But…I believe we can help each other, Kiddo-san…"

The boy blinked before looking down at the girl. He was a bit surprised to find a determined expression on her face. "What did you have in mind…?"

Her eyes narrowed, "If I help you, you must help me with my **_vendetta_**…"

* * *

**A/N: In answer to your possible question, yes, Soul and Mauri had sex. I didn't describe it much because...well, like I thought I have a lot of MakaxSoul fans who dislike(Hate) Mauri so that's why I didn't cover much details ^^; Just keep faith. Things will work out in the end. I promise. ~Mizu**


	33. Message

**A/N: I know the last couple of chapters have revolved around Soul/Mauri/and a bit of Kidd but there is a really good reason why I have it that way. I haven't forgotten Maka or Wes, and there will be PLENTY chapters with them to come, just please be patient. Also, I know that Soul Eater doesn't really take place in Japan, but I like to write the way the anime flowed. So that is why I entered a couple of Japanese language here and there. Again, thanks for the reviews, I enjoy reading all the new found hate for my OC lol. Thank you for reading! ~Mizu**

* * *

There was slight bounce to the young boy's step as he walked down the busy street; passing gawking individuals who found the sight hard to believe. In the whole year that he had moved to Death City, he always wore the same expressionless face whenever he walked throughout the city. He never allowed himself to express his emotions, ever. But this was different, it was new and even if he tried to hide it, it would be impossible to stop smiling. It was a rare sight but to Soul, it felt like a **perfectly** normal day.

The paper bag in his arms was warm from the food inside. He couldn't help but smile at remembering what he had thought of back at the restaurant as he waited for his food to be ready. He replayed last night's events and how he was filled with complete ecstasy. He looked down at his hand, remembering how Mauri's quivering hand felt in his hand; tight and laced together. It sent a pulse up his arm, giving him satisfying goose bumps. He exhaled a satisfied breath, feeling his blood rise and thus making himself **difficult**.

"No wonder Blare is so into sex," he laughed, feeling his cheeks blush slightly. He continued walking but stopped to look at a small flower shop. He recognized the small old lady who sat silently behind the counter, watching people as they walked by. *_I wonder…*_, he thought with a smile as he walked up to the small shop.

"_Ohayougozaimasu soushi_. May I help you with anything?" she smiled warmly as he eyes gently closed behind her glasses.

Soul glanced around the many beautiful bouquets of flowers from every color and variety, "I'm looking for roses…" he quietly answered, scanning over the group of flowers but to no avail.

"My apologies," she shook her head, "but I ran out of roses because of **bunka no ni**," she frowned.

"Oh, I see…" his gaze fell to the ground. "Thanks anyways." He turned to leave.

"Oh, but I do have a single rose but I'm afraid it's white and starting to show signs of wilting…" she got up and walked over to a fridge that was used to keep flowers alive longer.

Soul turned and looked at the single white rose in her hand. His eyes widened a bit at its sight, "…Its perfect."

* * *

"Mauri, I'm back." His voice called, ringing throughout the apartment as he removed the key from the door. "I got something for you." He sang as he smiled and looked at the rose. He listened for any answer from the meister as he removed his shoes and gently placed the bag and rose on the kitchen table but heard silence. He stopped and looked around, "Mauri? Are you here?"

He was just about to go look for her when a pink note on the counter caught his eye.

_Soul,_

_Scusa, I went out for some air. I will be back later. You do not need to wait for me._

_Mauri_

Soul read the note over and over again. He knew it was from her, it was in her writing. But what would make her up and leave just like that? The question sent a jolt to his heart and he couldn't help but feel fear.

The weapon went straight to her room, then his, and checked both bathrooms but they were all empty. "What the…?" he was lost; she knew he went out to get food for both of them. *_Why would she leave? She said she didn't want to do out…*_ he didn't understand. A sudden thought came to him then and he quickly took out his cell phone. *_Damn, no calls…*_ he cursed before dialing her number. He put the small phone to his ear and heard the ringing tone.

**_"Just don't give up…I'm walking out…please don't give in…"_**

The familiar song rang throughout the apartment. Soul slowly took his phone away from his ear and followed the sound to her bedroom. He scanned the room and found the small black phone on her desk, vibrating as it rang. He slowly closed his phone to end the call and watched as her phone fall silent. "…she left her cell phone…?" he couldn't believe his own words.

Just as his mind was reeling with a million thoughts per second, Mauri's phone lit up and began to ring again. He jumped at hearing the sudden noise but it didn't help that he was paranoid already. *_Should I answer it…?*_, he thought to as he looked down at the phone to see who was calling. ***_UNKNOWN_**? _I wonder who…_* but as he was wondering the phone stopped ringing.

"Guess they gave up…" he uttered. He was just about to head out into the city to find her when a tone sounded. He looked back at the device and found a voicemail had been left. *_Is someone looking for her? I have to know_, Soul quickly decided to listen to the voicemail left. He would deal with the repercussions later.

_" You have 1 unheard message. First unheard message…"_

"Café shop outside the city. Tomorrow night at 7."

***CLICK***

_"End of message. To delete this message, press- -"_

Soul instantly ended the phone call. His heart was racing from the foreign voice he's never heard before. "What the hell is going on?" he screamed as the rose began to wilt on the kitchen table.


	34. Family

"My, I haven't seen you in ages it seems! You are still as handsome as the last time I saw you," a slightly big woman with round cheeks gave the slender young man another look; cheeks growing red from his beauty.

"You're too kind," the man kindly accepted the complement as he lowered his eyes with his best bashful smile he could put on. It was always the same with these kinds of parties, as well as those who attended them; everything cost money but are built on **lies**. True he hadn't attended such a gala in a while but his presence was still acknowledged as that of a god. And it was that simple fact that brought a smile to Wes' face.

Just as his smile formed, a beautiful yet sorrowful melody of a violin slowly filled the large room. "If you'd please excuse me," Wes bowed to the woman before turning to leave; trying to keep himself from laughing at the pathetic woman who wanted him to stay. _No, you are not worthy enough are you?_ he thought as he made his way through the crowd whose attention had been caught by something in the direction he was heading.

The large room was brightly lit by an enormous chandelier handing from the middle of the ceiling and many lights that were fixed to the tall walls. Wes could hear his shiny black dress shoes tapping as he walked on the perfectly waxed floor. He didn't need to look at his reflection on the floor to check on his appearance; he knew his hair was perfect, his black suit was wrinkle free, his crimson tie was straight, and his smile was stunning.

_"Oh my, such grace…"_

_"At such a young age at that!"_

_"Who is this magnificent girl?"_

The many comments flew around Wes as he made his way through the crowd, making his smile widen further across his face. He finally reached the source of the sound and found Maka standing in the middle of the large crowd. She continued to play flawlessly with her fingers moving naturally and smooth on the strings. He had picked out the long, sparkling red dress she wore; it complemented his tie and eyes. It reached down to her ankles but still revealed her matching red heels. Her white gloves reached above her elbow but they didn't bother her playing at all it seemed. Her dangling, sparkling earrings mirrored her movement sway for sway. The neat bun that rested at the very top of the back of her head held her light brown locks perfectly, not a single strand out of place.

Just as Wes broke free from the crowd, Maka finished her brief song, as if they both practiced such an event. The short silence was quickly replaced with a roar of applause and cheers from the crowd.

"Thank you, thank you," Wes yelled over the noise as he took his place next to Maka, "You're all far too kind!" he flashed a bright smile, wrapping his arm around her small frame. "This, as you may all have guessed, is my newest student; Maka Albarn." His voice was quickly drowned out by the roaring cheers. The young meister gave a curtsy just as she was taught.

"Wesu-kun, where did you find such a brilliant young lady? Did she possess her gift for the violin before you met?" a man from the crowd asked, everyone awaiting his reply with such eagerness.

Wes chuckled handsomely, "No, actually, she found me," he joked, earning laughter from his audience. "She had no previous experience before we met, but she was very eager to learn." He smiled and looked down at the silent girl.

"Nothing less from the great Wes!" a woman called out, the crowd agreeing instantly.

"…It's a shame your younger brother isn't here to join us."

The sudden comment killed the crowd's voice instantly. Wes' eyes narrowed for a second before they quickly turned large and sorrowful. "Yes…I do hope he will return to us soon…" he cried out.

"Yes, we all await and hope for his safe return."

Wes followed the familiar voice and found the tall slender man in a slim, expensive suit walking toward him. "Yes, I do hope he returns Father."

The two men shared similar features but they were small differences as well. Wes matched his father's height but his facial features were sharper and more refined with age. His white hair was speckled with grey hairs that made him look wise. Wes found his father's wine colored orbs intimidating and piercing since childhood. As always, his small grey goatee was well trimmed and fashionable.

"It's very good to see you here son," the man's voice was deep and demanded everyone's attention. "If you all could please excuse us, there is much catching up I have to do with my son," he placed a strong arm around Wes' shoulder with a smile as he pulled him from the crowd.

"Wait just a second father," Wes quickly turned and made his way back to Maka. "Come with me, I can't leave you here all by yourself," he gently took her small hand.

* * *

"I see your student shows great potential." The man spoke as he poured himself a small glass of whiskey. "Though, I'm not surprised. You've always been a superb instructor since you were six. I expected nothing less from you." He took a drink from his glass, watching his son from behind the large desk. Wes remained silent in his leather chair in the dimly lit room. "But I wonder," his father's voice made him look over without turning his head, "What is your reason?" the man's eyes narrowed in curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Wes calmly asked.

"Don't play games with me Wes." The man forced out a rusty laugh that didn't last long, "You haven't had a student since Soul left. Why now?"

Hearing his brother's name made Wes twitch in his seat. He knew his father was going to bring up the unmentionable son, so it was only natural he make Maka sit in a small room next door to avoid hearing it or their conversation. "I want to lure him back to me…" Wes gently closed his eyes in a small growing smile.

"You can't possible mean that failed excuse for a son…"

The familiar voice caused both men to turn to find a slender woman in a long black dress walking toward them; sneering before taking a drink from her cocktail. Her blonde, almost white, hair fell down to her lower back in beautiful waves. Her bright red lipstick made her skin look much paler than she really was. Her emerald eyes were brought out by the smoky charcoal eye shadow that was applied under each perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"I am talking about Soul, mother," Wes replied, disgusted by the way she was acting; basically, like a child.

"Ugh, even the sound of his name makes my blood boil…" the woman grimaced.

"Why would you want your brother back? I thought you gave up trying to get him to come back. After all, he was the one who up and left," the man angrily stated, growling deep in his chest.

"You both know, as well as I, that our family's status had been hindered by Soul time and time again. He was the first weapon in the Evans' line. He was also a poor musician. But even his disappearance, which we thought would finally prevent us from loosing further status, only proved just the opposite," Wes sighed.

"I still blame you Sophia…"

"For the last time, I knew better than to let a filthy weapon have his way with me Lucian! Soul wouldn't have been born with your white hair and red eyes! Every DNA test you had me take proved Soul was every bit yours and he was mine!" the woman yelled, reminding herself this wasn't her house so she couldn't throw the cocktail glass at her so-called husband.

"See? This is what I'm talking about." Wes quickly broke his parents' glares. "Soul has threatened to break apart what you both, my grandparents, and further generations have put forth. I will not let the Evans' name be tarnished by his curse…" Wes narrowed his eyes in anger.

"He left of his own will… he turned his back on us and joined that retched school…good riddance. I wanted an abortion but your father refused to let me get rid of him…"

"People already knew you were pregnant! If it got out you had an abortion it would have destroyed us!" Lucian slammed his hand on the desk.

"Stop it! I have a plan to set things straight!" Wes snapped. "If Soul is to return, crying about how he was wrong, disowning his weapon blood, and agreeing to play the piano again, then we'd look like a 'happy' family. Not only that, but Soul would make me look that much better as a musician with him by my side," he smirked.

"That is a wonderful thought, but its sounds more like a dream than an idea. How do you catch a dog that doesn't want to be caught?" Sophia cocked her eyebrow at him.

Wes grinned, "I have something he wants…"

"Oh? And that is…?" Lucian was intrigued.

"Maka."

"And what does she have anything to do with this?"

"She was his meister and 'love' before I took her as my student." He laughed, eyes brightly lit from his brilliant plan.

"Why would you do that?" Sophia nearly laughed from her son's evil deed.

"Because a **dog** always **chases** after a **car** he thinks he can **catch**…" Lucian said through a growing smile.

"**Bingo!**"


	35. Obsession

**A/N: thank you guys who are quick readers and reviewers! ^^ I really appreciate the love and devotion lol. I must warn you though, this chapter...might be a little hard to read for those who are sensitive to sexual things. Just remember, I rated this story pretty high for this reason. You have been warn of the smut D: Please don't lynch me DX ~Mizu**

* * *

Her soft breathing was the only life in the dark room. The sound of laughter and music was slipping through the door; the gala was very much alive. Her moss colored eyes watched the sliver of light that tried desperately to enter through the crack between the door and the floor.

Maka didn't see much of the bed room when Wes brought her into it, all she knew was she was alone. He had sat her down at the foot of the soft bed and told her to stay put; to not speak a word to anyone. She obediently nodded without question but her response displeased him. He angrily took hold of her chin firmly and forced her to look him in the eye.

"_Tell me you won't speak to anyone._" he kept himself from yelling at her but his voice was still full of frustration.

"_I will not speak to anyone, Shihan._" she obediently repeated with distant eyes and an emotionless voice. He left her with a forceful kiss that made her lips hurt before disappearing behind the door that belong to the room next door. Still she sat in the lonely room, waiting for his next command.

"Hang on, I have to find the bathroom," a man's voice could be heard from behind the door just before it opened to reveal a tall man. He scanned the dark room and gave a small jump at the sight of Maka. He stared at her a moment before he finally stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Hey, little girl," his words were slurred from drinking, "do you know where's the bathroom?" he walked over to her and stopped only steps away from her.

Maka only sat silently on the bed without a single movement. The young man studied Maka and found her in good taste, "Watcha doin' all alone in a dark room little girl?" he grinned as he reached out and ran his fingers down her cheek. He had expected her to slap his hand away if not pull away from him forwardness but nothing came. "Could you be waiting for someone like me to come?" his voice was husky and filled with lust as he leaned down to kiss her.

The young meister instinctively closed her eyes and opened her mouth to allow him entrance if he wished. The man quickly took her invitation and flooded her mouth with his tongue, exploring every inch of it. His hand hastily found her breast and began fondling it to his content. Maka moaned into his mouth as she arched her back to press her chest into his hand.

The man could feel his blood rising from pleasure and desire. He growled deep in his chest as he leaned forward and laid Maka down on the bed. He quickly stood up and pulled her dress up to reveal her pure white panties. He watched her with hungry eyes as he quickly unbuttoned his pants, licking his lips eagerly. His hands made their way to the hem of her panties just as a firm hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Fuck off, can't you see I'm busy?" the man angrily spoke over his shoulder at the foreign person.

"**Get your filthy hands off my woman**."

The man jumped away from Maka in fear and found an angry Wes glaring at him with narrow eyes. "I-I-I'm so sorry Wes-sama! I-I-I didn't know! I-I-I- -" the man stammered as he tried desperately to zip up his pants.

He was stopped short by a firm hand around his neck. "Don't you ever, **ever** come anywhere near anything that is **mine**, do you understand?" Wes growled in the man's face.

"Y-Y-Yes, I-I-I swear!" he nearly began to cry. Just as Wes' hand released his neck, the man quickly ran out the room.

Wes narrowed his eyes at Maka who hadn't moved from her spot on the bed. He felt angered by the view of her as she was: panties exposed. "Get up," he ordered as he forcibly grabbed her arm and pulled her up. He pulled her dress down before wiping her mouth clean of the man's alcoholic saliva. "You're mine, Maka. No one can have you but me!" he angrily proclaimed before pulling her out of the room.

Outside the room the gala was still filled with many people. Wes quickly made his way around groups of people and even pushed past a young couple but he didn't care, he needed to return home before he snapped in front of everyone. He finally reached the building's exit and grabbed Maka's coat from one of the coat racks just as a slender woman walked by.

"Wesu-sama?"

Wes looked over at the beautiful brunette woman and couldn't help but grimace at remembering where he recognized her from. "Hello, Josylyn…" he almost didn't acknowledge her.

"Why haven't you called me? You just stopped coming over to see me…" she slowly tucked her hair behind her ear as she gave him a bashful look.

"I became busy and hand no more need of you," he coldly spoke as he put Maka's coat on her.

"W-What? B-But why? I-I don't understand, I gave you everything! I-I love you!" she frantically spoke.

"Stop talking, you sound like an idiot." He ignored her as he began walking with Maka in front of him.

"It's because of her isn't it?" the woman's face contorted in anger, "What can she give you? She's just a child!"

Wes looked over his should at her, "She's more of a woman than you'll ever be."

* * *

**warning ahead**

The sound of deep breathing filled the dark room. The scent of lust and anger covered every inch until innocence was gone. Maka took quick, painful gasps with each movement he gave her. All she could do was look up at the man who towered over her, nude as the day he was born.

The moon's rays traced the outline of his muscular body and revealed his upset face. He wasn't getting pleasure from it, but rather satisfaction of teaching her a well deserved lesson. "You're mine Maka, do you understand?" he growled angrily as he thrust himself deep inside the young meister, causing her to jolt and scream in pain.

Maka nodded her head slowly, grabbing fists full of the blankets around her as she tried to breathe with tears flowing down the sides of her head.

"Say it!" Wes pushed himself even deeper, earning another painful scream from her.

"Y-Yes…I-I'm yours…Wes-shihan…" she cried as her body jolted from the painful penetration.

"No one can touch or look at you like I do…" he growled with narrow eyes as he slowly ran his fingers roughly down her flat, sweaty stomach before finally pulling out of her warm center, causing Maka to take a sharp breath before sinking into the bed. He watched her take deep breaths, trying to steady her beating heart. Wes slowly turned away from her, deciding to wash away his angry desire.

"Not even **Soul** can have you…" he whispered before leaving Maka in a broken mess.


	36. Unimportant

"I don't understand why we're here…I feel so out of place," Death the Kidd pulled at his black tie that matched his suit, looking around nervously through his fake black framed glasses.

"You will see, Maka-kun will be here, I just know it." Mauri reassured her partner, looking over her shoulder at him. She was self conscious of the maroon dress she wore that had a low back and was to her mid-thigh. "You need to stop messing with the tie," she turned and began fixing it for him. "You are making even me nervous." She knitted her eyebrows at him.

"I can't help it, I don't really enjoy being at galas, much more ones in which I wasn't even invited or know anyone, Mauri," he shot at her, "Besides, why would Maka be here?" he pulled away from her and adjusted his neck.

"…Because Wes-san is here…" her voice was small.

Kidd looked down at her, "And how do you- -?"

Kidd's voice was drowned out by the applauding of a large crowd that had gathered while they were too busy bickering at each other. The young boy was caught off guard when Mauri's small hand took his and pulled him towards the crowd. He could feel his cheeks flush from her forwardness but quickly pulled out of her hold, nearly disgusted.

"She is there. Wes-san too," she breathed, not looking at the young boy.

"Where?" Kidd quickly discarded his thoughts and looked through the crowd, desperately attempting to catch even a glimpse of the brown haired meister. "I see her…" he responded, catching view of Maka in the long, shimmering dress that made her look more stunning than she already was. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the older man wrap his arm around her shoulders. He felt his anger rising from the sight.

"Kiddo-san."

The boy's concentration was broken by her voice. He didn't realize that just then, the whole world's noise was drowned out until Mauri brought him back to reality. "What?" he finally answered, looking back at Maka, who was smiling.

"You wish to speak with her, no?"

Kidd remained silent but ever watching.

"You cannot speak with her as she is."

"Why not?" he finally tore his eyes from Maka and looked down at the young girl.

"Remember, Wes-san cannot know we are here. We are in disguise and will be trouble if we are caught." She answered, looking at the black hair spray paint she sprayed over his white stripes to cover them.

"I can't just stand here knowing she's only a couple of steps away- -!"

He was interrupted once more by the crowd's loud murmurs. Both meisters looked through the congregation and found Wes leading Maka away with another taller man with white hair.

"I wonder where they are going now…" Mauri spoke her thoughts out loud.

"I'm gonna find out," Kidd replied as he quickly left her side and made his way around people.

"Kiddo-san! Wait!" she called out but couldn't get him to stop. "_Merda!(Shit!)_" she cursed before taking off after him. "What are you thinking?" she hissed after catching up to him.

"They went into this room," he ignored her upset comment.

"We cannot go in- -."

"I know that." He quickly cut her off, "But it doesn't mean I can't listen." He sneered.

_"Tell me you won't speak to anyone."_

_"I will not speak to anyone, Shihan."_

Kidd's eyes widened at the forcefulness in Wes' voice, it nearly scared him. But just as quickly as it came, it turned into anger. His hand went for the handle but was stopped by Mauri's hand on his arm.

"No, you cannot go!" she whispered harshly.

"I'm not going to just stand here and let him talk to her like that!" he turned and growled in her face.

Mauri stared him straight in the eyes, standing her ground. "I understand you are angry but if you go in there- -."

"I don't fucking care! I care too much for Maka to let anyone step all over her! If I didn't put up with Soul doing it, what makes you think I'd let his brother do it?" He stared her down a moment before turning to face the door once more.

"Excuse me."

A foreign voice made both meisters jump before turning to face a tall man. "U-Uh, yes?" Mauri answered, trying to sound casual as possible.

"Oh nothing, I was trying to make my way past you both to the bathroom. I guess it's in there," his words slurred as he made his way to the door.

"Ah! W-Wait!" Mauri quickly tried to stop the man.

"Huh? What's wrong?" he stopped short of the doorknob.

"Uh…we would…like to…" she looked over at Kidd for help, "Uh…ask you about…your wealth! How did you get to be so…wealthy?" Mauri quickly came up with the question, earning an upset expression from Kidd.

The man stared at the both of them a moment, "Hang on, I have to find the bathroom," he gave Mauri a wink before opening the door and disappearing behind into the room.

"Ah! Wait!" she called out but was too late, the door had already closed.

"Ah! You idiot!" Kidd quickly yelled at her, "Why would you ask him that? Why wouldn't you have said it wasn't the bathroom?"

"I am sorry! I could not come up with excuse! I know I mess up…" she pouted, feeling embarrassed.

Kidd sighed as he rubbed his eyes behind his fake glasses, "Well, hopefully he'll get out of there when he notices Maka's in there…" his voice trailed off after placing his ear to the door and heard nothing but silence.

"What is wrong? Is he saying anything?"

"…No…I'm just wondering why I don't hear anything…" his eyes squinted as he tried to listen hard to what was going on inside the room.

"You cannot hear anything? Let me hear," she leaned over and placed an ear to the door. Suddenly a moan came from inside that sounded like Maka. "Oh!" Mauri instantly pulled away from the door and covered her mouth from embarrassment.

Kidd's eyes widened from the sound. He felt his heart drop down to his stomach, his blood ran cold, and the world around him stood still around him.

"Kiddo-san?" Mauri whispered, her eyes fearful of his lack of reaction.

Instantly, Kidd snapped out of his trance and his hand went for the doorknob once more.

"No, Kiddo-san, stop!" Mauri pulled him away from the door before he got a hold of it.

"Let go of me right now Mauri. I'm going to kill him…I'm going to kick his ass!" he fought against her tight hold around his waist.

"Please, just wait!"

"Wait for what?" he screamed at her, "For him to finish?" he nearly spat.

"Maka-kun is strong, if she is in trouble, she will take care of herself." Mauri firmly stood her ground.

Just then, the door opened and the foreign man came running out with terror painted on his face.

"Let go of me, I have to go see her! I have to see if she's ok!"

"Wait, please!" Mauri cried out but he slipped out of her hold.

Kidd was just about to open the door when Wes' voice became audible and stopped him in his tracks.

_"You're mine, Maka. No one can have you but me!"_

The words crushed the young meister instantly. Hearing Wes call her "his" sent him over the edge. He felt a heavy weight had been placed on top of his heart, nearly crushing and suffocating it. "It can't be…they can't…" he quivered, eyes darting around but saw nothing.

"…I am sorry Kiddo-san…"

It was only until Mauri spoke that Kidd realized she had pulled him far away from the door.

"I had to tell someone but I did not know who…but I found you care much for Maka-kun…so that is why I had to bring you to show you…" Mauri's voice was small and filled with sorrow.

"…_How did you know_…? How did you know any of this was happening…?" Kidd barely mustered, eyes opened wide in horror of realizing everything. It made everything seem like a **lie**.

Just then, both Wes and Maka emerged from the room and pushed their way past them. Kidd painfully watched as Maka was pulled past them, seeing him as nothing more than another person in the crowd; **unimportant**.

"…I know all this…because I **helped Wes-san get Maka-kun**…"


	37. Guilt

**Hey everyone~ Sorry for the long time since I last updated D: I have been really really busy lately...To be honest, the best way to give me the boot to post something if I haven't in a long while, then just write a review and it will certainly give me the boot to post another lol I honestly forget I have to update on this website DX I'm really sorry. Thanks to the "Guest" who recently reviewed ^^ thanks for the boot my friend lol. And with that, here is the next chapter. ~Mizu**

* * *

The door to the apartment slowly opened, allowing the short haired meister to enter the quiet residence. She half expected an angry white haired boy waiting for arrival but to her surprise, Soul wasn't anywhere to be seen. She scanned the living room as she quietly closed the door behind her, _I wonder where he is_, she thought to herself as she took of her shoes.

"Oh, it's you."

Mauri slowly looked up at Blair's comment. "Yes, hello Blair-san. Do you know where Soul-kun is?" she watched the cat sit down of the floor, the end of her witch hat bouncing from her movement.

"Umm…I think he's in his room. He's been in his room even before I came home. I don't think he's been out." The cat looked over at the door with concerned eyes.

"Oh…I see." Mauri mustered, but the fact ate her up inside. To think her actions made someone important to her feel pain.

"Nyaaa," Blair broke the silence with a sudden yawn. "Sorry, a nice man gave me a very nice fish to eat and now I'm sleepy. I'm going to sleep…" the black cat walked back to her room with a happy smile.

"Oh…sleep well." She watched as Blair disappeared around the corner, leaving Mauri alone in her guilt. _I should have told him it was important_, she thought to herself, thinking of her mistake. The young meister finally crossed the distance between her and Soul's bedroom door. She stood there with her hand inches from the wooden door, hesitating from the fear of what was going to happen.

"What?" Soul's muffled voice came from the inside in answer to her hesitant knock.

"Oh…um…_scusa_ for coming home late…" her eyes glued to her feet in guilt, "but I had something important to go to…"

"…Don't worry…it's fine…"

She felt her heart tightened from the sound of his voice. She knew the weapon was upset and there wasn't much she could do but let him be by himself until he felt better to talk about it.

"Ok…I will be in my room then…" she muttered, trying hard to steady her voice.

The young girl stood there a moment, hoping he would call but he remained silent. Mauri finally pulled herself from the door and headed toward her room. She was just steps away from her room when she noticed something on the kitchen table. A single white rose was lying on the table next to the note she left. Mauri's eyes filled with tears as her heart began to ache.

_I know I messed up Soul-kun…but please trust me…I am setting things right_, she thought with determination as she took the rose in one hand and crumpled the piece of paper with the other before going into her room.

The meister looked around her room and found her bottle with clean water. She took it and placed the wilting rose gently inside. "There you go…I am sorry for not being here to receive you properly…" she spoke softly to the flower as she placed it on the little table beside her bed. Her peaceful thought was interrupted by a sudden sound that came behind her. She quickly turned and searched the room for the source, eyes darting from one side to the other. Her heart finally calmed down when she found her cell phone on her dresser was the culprit.

"I did not know I forget it here…it must be dying…" she came to the conclusion as she picked up the small device. Her eyes widened instantly when the screen lit up to reveal one missed call. _Oh no…do not tell me…,_ her mind raced with many thoughts as her heart sank into her stomach. She listened to the voice mail that was left and proved her theory.

Mauri slowly sat down on the edge of her bed, eyes filled with sadness. _Another meeting…,_ her thoughts trembled at what she just heard. There was nothing she could do but obey the orders.

"No… I will change this." Mauri clenched her hands into a tight fist with determination in her eyes. She quickly took out a small piece of papers with numbers on it. She dialed the number on her cell phone before putting it to her ear.

_"Here take this…"_

_Mauri watched as Kidd tore a small piece of paper to write on. "What is it?"_

_"My cell number, in case anything comes up…especially about Maka."_

She remembered what the young boy had given her before they went their separate ways earlier. "Kiddo-san? Yes, this is Mauri. Meet me at the park at 5:30pm. I cannot tell you now but I will show you who is behind everything tomorrow…"

* * *

"Eh? Spirit? What's up?" the shinigami was surprised to find his death scythe on the other side of his two-way mirror.

"…Sorry to call you during the weekend sir, I just needed to talk with someone…" the red haired man's eyes slowly fell to the floor in front of his feet.

"Oh? Stein-kun couldn't help?" the eyes on his mask turned sympathetic.

"Are you crazy? He wouldn't listen to a word I'd say! He'd only figure out a plan to try to get me as his guinea pig again!" Death Scythe shivered at the thought with fear in his eyes.

"I see, so it's something serious…" the shinigami's voice was quiet.

The two men stayed silent a moment, starring at something to keep from making eye contact with the other. "…Its about my daughter…"

"Maka-chan? Is something wrong?" he watched the man through the large mirror for any answer in his body movement.

"As far as I know of, she's doing just fine…" Spirit's voice continued to be flat.

"Then, what is the problem? She hasn't fallen in her school work either, I hear."

The red haired man looked up at the masked man, "She isn't? Has she come to school at all?"

Shinigami couldn't help but be pained by the desperation in the man's voice and face. "…No, she hasn't…Kiddo has been bringing her work."

"Oh," the hope in his eyes faded, "I see…well, remind me to thank your boy." He let out a small chuckle through a weak a smile.

"Why are you worried about her Spirit?"

"…I can't help but feel strange whenever I talk to her on the phone…like she's charged somehow..." his eyes searched the floor as if looking for the answer.

Shinigami remained silent.

"I can't help but feel I've made a horrible mistake making this decision for her…I only wanted the best for her…" his voice quivered, emotions getting the better of him.

"It hasn't been long…it's only been 3 months since she's left to live with Evans-san…he has been giving me progress reports and it looks as though she has taken to the instrument just fine. It'll only be a matter of time before she comes up with a concert for me. Don't worry Spirit, things will get better."

"I sure hope so…" he sighed, feeling better from letting out his worries.

"I wished the same could be said for my son…"

Sprit looked up to find the shinigami's mask turned sad. "Eh? Kiddo-kun? How's that even possible? He's such a good kid!" His eye widened to the idea.

"Yes, he is however, recently, he's obsessed with exploiting Mauri-chan as a fraud or something of the sort…" he covered his mask with a giant gloved hand.

"Mauri?"

"Yes, Soul-kun's new meister."

"Oh? So he really did move on? Didn't take that long I see…" Spirit snorted as he looked away in slight anger.

"They have been together since…I believe a day after Maka-chan left…"

"What? That soon?" Spirit screamed loud with wide eyes."H-How could he…? I should wring his neck!"

"Spirit, you've been going on missions so you didn't know but please don't go and confront him about Maka-chan…the bond between the both of them broke for good two months ago…I can't have Soul-kun remember Maka-chan…it would pain him too much…" his eyes turned sad.

Spirit gritted his teeth in anger, "…But…what about my daughter…?" he lowered his head until his eyes were shadowed by his bangs, "…she didn't have a new weapon to bond with…no wonder she's different…" his hands shook violently at his sides from his anger and sadness. "…she had to go through it alone?" he brought up his head to stare at the shinigami, eyes brimming with tears.

"…Yes…but Evans-san was there for her…the worst has past…she doesn't feel it anymore." The shinigami's voice was emotionless.

The two men remained silent as Spirit tried to calm himself down. He took a deep breath, before slowly releasing it. "I'm glad that good man was at least there for her…I guess I failed her as a papa once again it seems…" he smiled with sad eyes but quickly changed the subject, "So, why is Kiddo-kun obsessed with Ma-whatever-her-name-is?"

"It's Mauri," he corrected, "And I'm not sure why…" the masked man frowned. "But it's a shame he thinks ill of her…what with the situation she's in…" his voice became serious.

"Huh? What situation?"

"Mauri-chan is from Rome and has no family over here what so ever."

Spirit blinked, "None? Wow, that is tough." He felt sympathetic.

"Well she won't be the only one from Italy it seems. A new student will be joining us here on Monday." Shinigami's voice became cheerful.

"Oh yeah? Female? Male? Meister or weapon?"

"Let's see…" the man picked up a sheet of paper and quickly scanned it "It's a weapon…a **Claymore** by the name of **Santiago**."


	38. Pawn

Soul carefully watched his prey with piercing eyes, following her every move. The young girl, only steps in front of him, was oblivious to her stalking predator. She wasn't an enemy or a total stranger, but quite the contrary; she was his meister.

*_What are you hiding Mauri?_* the boy asked himself, hands formed into tight, nervous fists inside his jacket pockets. He had followed her ever since she had left the apartment but he made sure he left only minutes after her so he wouldn't be found. He had heard her conversation with Death the Kidd the night before and couldn't help but feel a spark light up inside of him. It was that exact spark that allowed him to put on a straight face in the morning to make the meister believe the scythe was alright.

It was hard for him to sit on the couch, pretending to be interested in whatever channel he landed on, while she came in and sheepishly apologized for her disappearance without a single word.

_"Hey, it's ok. Things come up," Soul tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice through a forced smile._

_Mauri's sad eyes quickly shifted to surprise from her partner's easy forgiveness. "R-Really? T-Thank you for your kindness!" she smiled, relieved it went smoothly._

_"Yeah…sorry if I scared you…I didn't know I was that bad in bed…"_

_Mauri's smile fell and her cheeks flushed a deep red, "Ehhhhhhh?"_

_Soul slowly looked over at her with questioning eyes, "Well, I mean I had no idea…seeing as it was my first time…I thought I did ok…" he scratched the back of his head, looking away in embarrassment._

_"N-N-No! T-That was not it!" Mauri instantly screamed, waving her hands in front of her. "I just…am figure things out…and I am fixing them too…" her voice became quiet as she turned to walk away._

_"…And what's that your fixing?"_

_She stopped, "…You will see…"_

*_Even if her voice wasn't as sad as it was, the smile she gave me made my heart ache with such sadness…_* he thought as he closed his eyes for a brief moment, trying to calm his heart.

"Um, excuse me, mister?"

The weapon quickly opened his eyes and traced the small voice to a young brown haired boy with both front teeth missing. "Huh? You talkin' to me?" Soul pointed to himself as he looked around for anyone else he could be calling to.

"Yes, you…" the little boy wiped his tears on his sleeve.

"Hey, what's wrong? Why you crying?"

"I-It's my cat…she's stuck that tree…and I'm scared she's going to get hurt…" the boy sniffled.

Soul looked over at the nearby tree and found an orange spotted cat meowing helplessly on a branch. "Ahhhh….crap…" the weapon sighed. "Wait, Mauri!" he remembered instantly and quickly looked back to where he last saw her and found she had made it to the park. "Shit…" he cursed under his breath.

"Can you help me get her down? Please…?"

Soul looked down at the scared and crying boy. He knew he couldn't leave him in the situation he was in; it just wasn't cool. "Alright…here kitty-kitty…"

* * *

"Hello Kiddo-san. Thank you for coming," Mauri greeted as she walked up to the depressingly dressed meister who sat quietly by the water fountain. *_His clothing always make me think he is going to a funeral…_* she thought as she looked over his black pants and white, long sleeved, button up shirt.

The young shinigami simply nodded in response, eyes narrowing at her carefree smile.

Mauri's smile slowly fell; "W-What is it?" her voice became nervous.

"You know, after we hung up last night, I gave it much thought about everything…what you told me at the party especially…That didn't sit well with me…it left a bad taste in my mouth…" his yellow eyes almost began to glow from his growing anger. "Had it not been for you, Maka would still be here…with the people who love and care for her at Shibusen…and away from that crazy **man**…" he nearly spat the word. "I couldn't help but feel **disgusted** by you…"

The brown haired girl slowly dropped her eyes to the ground and lowered her head in shame. "Yes…it is my fault…but I know she would still have been taken if even I was not to be part of Wes-san's plan…because he is a very powerful man…" her voice was filled with guilt and fear.

"Whatever just tell me why you called me here. Spit it out," his voice was cold and harsh.

"You have to follow me there…I am to meet with someone who will answer your question…" the meister looked up at the boy with distant eyes.

"What? Where are you taking me?" Kidd quickly stood the moment Mauri began walking away.

"To the place I am to meet this person…trust me, he will answer your questions…but you cannot be seen so please sit somewhere far from me but close enough to listen."

The young Shinigami stared at the girl with questionable eyes. "Let's hope he answers them all…for your sake…"

* * *

*_Damn cat! 'Cause of him I didn't get to listen to what Mauri and Kidd said!_* Soul quickly made his way past people taking a stroll through the park. He had spent longer than he expected coaxing the orange fur ball out of the tree but at the cost of scratches and his fall from the tree. The boy was happy to be reunited with his friend and it was the only rewards Soul could receive but it was enough to get him back on his feet. *_Not gonna do_ **_that_** _again…_* he thought bitterly as he spotted both meisters walking to an outdoor coffee shop. *_I wonder why here…_* he tried to figure out as he watched the two exchange a few words before they parted.

*_Wait! What's going on? She's sitting alone? I don't get what's going on…_* Soul looked at the location of both meisters and found them far but within ear shot of each other.

"Maybe…she's waiting for someone? But who?" the weapon thought a while but gave up in frustration. "I'm so confused right now!" he threw his hands in his hair and ruffled it in anger.

_"Hello, is this seat taken?"_

_"No, you can sit."_

Soul snapped his eyes open to find an unknown yet familiar tall and slender man taking a seat across from Mauri. "Wait…what the hell is going on?" Soul screamed.

Mauri could feel her heart beat quicken from the man's presence. He always had an effect on her, never a positive one. He was a tall and slender man in his late twenties. His short black hair looked jet black in contrast to his pale skin. His dark brown eyes were always narrowed and felt as though they could pierce you with little effort.

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

Mauri's head jerked up to look him straight in the eyes. His smile gave her goose bumps, "…Yes, go ahead." She finally forced.

She watched him take a pack of cigarettes from his light tan satchel and pulled a single one out to light it.

"What does Wes want now?" her voice was flat yet filled with uncertainty.

The man laughed as he exhaled the toxic smoke, "My, aren't we patient today?" they stared at each other a moment in silence before he finally pulled out a large envelope from his bag. "Inside is your next set of instructions." He held it in between two fingers with a grin painted on his face.

Mauri hesitated, "…What is it?"

"Just obey and soon you will be home with your pathetic family," he sneered as he tossed it over to her.

"Yes, but will they be safe? Will Wes finally leave my uncle alone?" she caught it as she glared at him.

"Of course, everything goes back to the way it was. Well, for some." He grinned.

"And the evidence?"

"Yours."

"Copies?"

"We shall give you the negatives as well." He chuckled, getting excited from her reaction.

"How do I know your didn't make copies?" her eyes narrowed.

"Wes-sama keeps his word; he won't need them once he acquires his little brother, trust me. You and your family are just **pawns** he can easily use to sacrifice in order to get the true prize, the **king**." the man's grin grew wider.

Mauri felt her stomach churn from the sick man. "…I have no choice but to agree…" she finally gave in, clenching the envelope in her hand.

"'Atta girl, that's what I like to hear," the man quickly leaned over with his hand extended. "You know, you can always stay with me once everything is done…" he spoke through a tight grin as he ran his fingers down her cheek. "Such a shame you had to lose your virginity to **him**…I could have made it so much more enjoyable…"

Mauri quickly pulled away from his touch, "Tell Wes he will get what he wants…" she growled.

The man whistled, "I like 'em feisty," he licked his lips before getting up and leaving.

The young meister sat there a moment, envelope shaking in her hand. She finally got up and slowly began walking back towards town.

"Hey, what the hell was that back there?" Kidd ran up beside her with a shocked expression but got no answer.

Mauri remained silent, envelope in her hands at her chest. Nothing was said between them because they both knew what was to come and words could not change the outcome.

* * *

Soul stood still as he watched the two walk back to Death City. It was only until both meisters were out of view that he began running back to his apartment. He needed to beat Mauri home; she couldn't suspect he knew anything. Regardless if he heard every word that was spoken between Mauri and the familiar man, he still had no idea what was really going on.

*_Why does my brother want me? What did that guy mean when he said Mauri_ **had**_ to lose her virginity? And why does he look so familiar?_* A million questions ran over and over in his head as he zipped past people. Whatever was in the envelope he knew wasn't good but he had to find out what it was, no matter what.


	39. Raging Storm

The two silent partners walked side by side, eyes glued to anything but their partner. Soul tightened his fists that hid in his jacket pockets in frustrations. He knew the way he was acting was stupid but he couldn't help it; he felt betrayed and left out of the loop. Meisters and weapons are supposed to share everything and hold no secrets from each other. It felt so wrong to be kept in the dark but not only that, Mauri acted as innocent as a new born baby; clean of sin.

Mauri's eyes shifted over to look at the silently scowling weapon. "Soul-kun, what is wrong? Have I done something to upset you?"

Soul continued to walk silently as his partner watched him with a worried expression. He thought a long moment before answering her, "Nothin's wrong. Just thinking 'bout a lot of things…its ok don't worry about it." He looked off into the distance as if it held an answer.

The young meister continued to study the weapon's facial expression. "…You are lying to me…are you?" her voice was barely a whisper.

Soul slowly looked over at her, "…If that's what you believe…" he put simply before returning his eyes back to what was in front of him.

The young girl felt a sharp pain shoot through her heart from the cold sound of his voice. _I am losing him…I cannot lose him…not yet…_ she thought to herself before slowly reaching into his jacket pocket to pull out his hand and held it. _Just a little longer…please…_ the thought made a frown pull at the corners of her mouth; it was something she couldn't help.

The white haired boy instantly felt his cheeks flush from the warmth of her skin. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed from the sudden action. She was always so straight forward with him; it always threw him into an emotional roller coaster ride. Soul felt stupid for feeling the way he was; he had sex with this woman and it was time he stopped acting like the child he once was and become a man. He pushed away the feelings as he gave his partner's hand a little squeeze; earning a small smile from her. But even then he knew things were still wrong.

* * *

It seemed as if it took hours to finally reach Shibusen but it was just the silence between the partners. Soul replayed everything that happened the weekend that passed, but he couldn't understand how things came to this. He thought everything was going the way they should, if not better, for Mauri and himself. But **Life** was always unpredictable and Soul knew that very well.

_I should come out and ask her to talk to me about it…this is stupid! I shouldn't be upset with her because she has something she hasn't told me yet! I just need to ask what's up,_ the weapon thought to himself. His eyes shifted down to the small girl to his right and thought of how he was going to handle the situation. Once he figured it out, he deliberately cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Mauri, I- -"

"Oi, Mauri."

Soul looked over at the boy who cut him off mid sentence. His eyes couldn't help but narrow at the sight of his black outfit.

"Oh Kiddo-san…Good morning…" Mauri barely spoke, worried of the tension between both boys.

Kidd rested against the school entrance door with his arms crossed, "I need to talk to you," his golden orbs shifted over to a glaring Soul.

"Oh…right now?"

"No, later. I'll look for you," he quickly answered before slipping inside the school.

"Um, ok…" she quietly answered, not sure if the young Shinigami heard her.

"Humph! What's that all about? You guys seemed to have gotten real close lately." Soul fumed as he began walking to class, leaving Mauri behind. "Why are you guys so close huh?" he looked at her over his shoulder with an angry expression.

Mauri couldn't hold her eyes on the upset boy from the guilt she felt. She slowly dropped her gaze to the ground in front of her; not answering his question because she had no answer to give.

Soul turned his head back forward as he growled out loud. "Whatever!" he screamed just before entering the classroom.

The young meister watched Soul take his seat next to hers but stared at every direction but her. Her heart squeezed with pain, "_Scusa_, I need to use the bathroom…" she got back up from her chair and looked over at Soul; half expecting him to say something or stop her but got neither.

The white haired boy didn't exhale his held breath until after he heard the classroom door click shut. "Looks like everything's going to shit…" he uttered under his breath as he watched Professor Stein walk onto his platform at the bottom of the class.

"Alright, quiet down," his half opened eyes glanced over from one side of the room to the other. "Before we get started, I have an announcement to make; we have another new student joining us today."

_Oh great, another one…_ Soul thought to himself as he gave a small snort.

"So listen up to what he has to say. You can come up now," Stein looked over to his left, signaling the new comer to make his appearance.

Every pair of eyes followed the smooth strides of the tall, slender young man as he made his way onto the platform and took his place beside the professor. He looked straight out to the dozen silent, gawking eyes of his new fellow peers. His long, raven black hair was pulled back into a pony tail. His green eyes seemed to almost glow in contrast to his dark attire.

"…You can introduce yourself now." Stein chimed in from behind his desk after the foreign student remained silent for a good minute.

"...My name's Santi and I'm a swords-man. I wasn't born here but I can speak Japanese just fine. I'll be turning 21 in a couple of months. Other than that, not much else to say…"

There was an awkward silence just before the gentle whispers of gossip began circulating. The man in the white, stitched up lab coat took a moment to study the young specimen; trying to figure him out by reading his wavelength but to his surprise, it was just as difficult as judging a book by its cover. The realization made a smile slowly creep across the man's face. "You can take a seat where it's empty."

The new student silently made his way off the platform and up the stairs to the nearest empty seat he found. Soul continued to watch the new face slip pass his fellow classmates and took a seat in the middle section of the left side of the classroom.

"He seems a bit old to be going to school…" Soul muttered, resting his chin on his hand lazily.

"Sorry Soul-kun, I am back…"

The sudden voice of his partner made Soul's anger return instantly. All his painful emotions came rushing back all at once and it wasn't a nice feeling.

"Did I miss anything?" Mauri asked as she took her seat.

"Nah…nuthin' worth talkin' about…"

* * *

"Ahhh….I am happy class is over," the brown haired girl stretched her arms out above her as she walked through the door and out into the open school ground with the rest of her classmates.

"…hey Mauri?"

"Hm?" Mauri lowered her arms and looked over at her partner, full attention on him as they continued to walk to an empty spot.

"Um, look…I just wanted to say…I'm sorry ok? I've been acting like a jerk all day and I'm sure you have no clue why that is so I'll be a man about this and apologize," the white haired boy finally let out. The whole time they were in class, he thought about everything. It was foolish of him to get upset over little things. If he wanted in on what was going on between her and Kidd, all he needed to do was trust her and then ask for her trust in return.

Mauri's eyes widened from his words. She soon felt hot tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Oh…Soul-kun…_gracie_…I forgive you…" she smiled, tears escaping down her cheeks.

"Oh c'mon, don't cry," Soul pulled her slowly into his arms and placed his hand on the back of her neck.

"I cannot help it. They are tears of happiness," she laughed lightly. "Thank you Soul-kun…" her voice was soft but filled with gratefulness. She slowly looked up at the boy and found him looking down at her with loving eyes.

"Don't mention it…" he whispered before leaning in and gently kissed her soft lips.

**"Get off her!"**

The sudden yell pulled the two partners away before turning toward the sound of the voice. Soul couldn't understand why all he found was the new student standing there; hands balled into tight fists and face twisted in anger.

"What the hell? Why should I? She's my girlfriend- -."

"S-Santiago…?"

Soul's heart dropped into his stomach as he turned to look at his meister. Her hands were covering her mouth, her eyes were open wide, and her body began to shake from the sudden sight. "Wait, _Santiago_- -?" The boy asked but was interrupted by the pain that shot through his cheek which sent him staggering back a couple of feet.

"Santiago, stop!"

Soul quickly regained his footing just in time to dodge the man's next attack. Santiago's right arm had formed into a long claymore which had cut into the spot where Soul was originally standing.

"What the fuck is your deal?" Soul screamed as his right arm was covered in a bright white light before turning into the blade of his scythe form.

"Stop it Santiago! Please!" Mauri called out to the man, trying to break his concentration on Soul. "What are you doing here?" she screamed as she grasped her chest from the sudden pain that came to her.

The tall man charged again at Soul, swinging his claymore arm at the boy. Soul jumped out of his reach but was a second too late.

"Ack!" The white haired boy came crashing to the ground, holding his wounded chest.

Mauri quickly ran over to her injured partner and stood between both weapons with her arms up at her sides.

"M-Mauri, don't! Get away!" Soul painfully ordered, trying to get up but the pain kept a tight hold on him.

"Santiago, stop this…please, let me explain- -"

"Explain?" Santiago screamed out, causing the young girl to flinch at the loud sound. "Explain what? Why it is that I came all the way from _Italia_ to save you from the debt of _Il Principe_ and yet I find you in the arms of this _bastardo_?" he continued to scream in her face.

Mauri dropped her gaze along with her arms. "…Please let me explain," she spoke as she brought her determined eyes back up to look at her old partner.

"Mi spieghi perché mi hai lasciato senza dire una sola parola!"he yelled in his Italian language as his arm returned back to normal. _Explain to me why you left me without saying a single word!_

"Tu non capisci le circostanze ero sotto! Ho lasciato l'Italia per la mia famiglia e per voi! Per mantenere tutti voi sicuro!" tears streamed down her face from her raging emotions "Ti amo Santiago!" _You don't understand the circumstances I was under! You couldn't understand what I had to go through! I left Italy for my family and for you! To keep you all safe!...I love you Santiago!_

"God damn it Mauri!" Santiago screamed before he pulled the young meister into his arms and kissed her.

Soul's eyes widened as he watched Mauri kiss her lost partner back in a heated, sinful kiss. As soon as his brain registered what was happening, a large shooting pain began radiating from the middle of his chest. The white haired boy began screaming in agony as his body went into strong convulsions on the ground.

Mauri instantly looked back, "Oh no!" she screamed as she ran over to him; but just steps away from reaching him, she fell to her knees in the same tortuous pain.

"Mauri!" Santiago tried to catch her before she hit the ground but was overcome by the same pain in his chest.

All three continued to scream and shake from the tremendous pain until they all went still and silent as a cold night after a **storm**.


	40. Obident

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who left reviews ^^ giving me my motivation to keep up with my updates lol. As for some concerns you guys may have about this story (i.e. is this really a soulxmaka fanfic, etc.) do not worry. There is always peace at the end of the storm...and believe me, this story is and has yet to go through some crazy and dramatic things. So please stick around and I promise you won't be disappointed :) ~Mizu**

* * *

"I'll ask again; why are you're here?" the short servant knitted his eyebrows together at the tall, grinning man standing in front of him. Both men were standing at the foot of the stairs of the massive house; staring each other down.

"Oh calm down Napa, I told you; I'm here to report to Wes-sama about the task that was given to me. Now let me see him." The pale man grinned as his eyes narrowed.

The older man snorted, "Be that as it may, I don't recall Wesu-sama expecting you today. If all you wanted to do was report, you could have simply called it in…"

"Pfff, that's too easy. I want to tell him in person," the man's grin grew wider as his brown eyes flashed in amusement.

"I'm afraid not. Just tell me your report and I will relay the message to him," Mr. Napa refused to give up, getting upset at the younger man.

"Nope, sorry. I wanna talk to the boss."

The servant felt his veins popping from his quickly rising anger. "Listen to me, Jun, just because you've known Wesu-sama since you were children, doesn't give you the right to come in here and make demands- -!"

"Napa, its fine. Let him up…"

"O-Oh, Wesu-sama! Are you sure?" the small servant quickly looked up to find his master at the top of the stairs in his open night robe with a pair of grey boxers on.

"It's fine," Wes angrily repeated as he ruffled his hair before walking back to his room. "Jun, go to my break room…"

"Yes sir!" Jun responded with a grin and a salute. "Sorry Napa, next time maybe," he stuck his tongue out at the fuming man as he quickly climbed the stairs. The black haired man had been to Wes' house a good amount of times but if he had to guess why that was it had to be because Jun had always been Wes' "dirty man".

Ever since they had met in middle school, Wes had always found the cunning man a useful tool to get whatever he wanted. It was a twist of fate that both of them crossed paths because Jun came from a middle-class family and attended the same private school as Wes. Jun always had a desire to do bad deeds so it was only natural that Wes became interested in his "guilty pleasure". Jun knew he was being used but he didn't mind it because the "offenses" Wes had him do were crazy and wild which gave him a high like no other. But once threatening of one's life, assaulting, blackmailing, and killing came into play, Wes was never shy with his rewards and Jun was very pleased to get even more than just his traditional high. The thought of all the bad things he's done for Wes made a smile to creep across his face.

Jun finally reached the private break room that belonged to Wes and only his "special" guests. It was a large room that almost resembled the study room down stairs only that this one was much more spacious and had a large TV.

Jun looked around the room at every large painting and piece of art. His attention was caught by a picture of a Wes' younger brother when he was still a young boy. It hung on the wall with darts punctured in it.

"What are you laughing at?"

Jun continued to chuckle as he turned to face Wes who came from the door that connected his bedroom to the room they were in. "It's nothing; just something I thought was funny."

Wes stared at the man silently. "So, what's so important that you need to talk to me in person? You know I don't like for you to come here often." He narrowed his eyes at the smiling man.

"Oh, calm down. You're over thinking everything. Just relax Wes-kun, it's all good. I just wanted to stop by; we haven't seen each other in a good while." Jun walked over to one of the couches in the center of the room and took a seat.

Wes' mouth formed a tight line. He disliked being called "kun" but he couldn't protest; Jun was 2 years older than him and beat him in height. "How did it go with the meister?" he asked with no emotion.

"It went fine, nothing bad to report."

A small smile formed on Wes' face, "That's good to hear."

Jun watched him take a seat on the opposite couch, "So, what's her new assignment?"

Wes remained silent as he stared at his bare stomach. He couldn't help but laugh at the question. "I want her to break the bond with Soul…to tell him she never was in love with him," he laughed.

Jun's eyes widened from surprise, "But why?" he couldn't help but laugh, "It'll break his bond **and** his heart!"

"I understand that perfectly," Wes finally stopped laughing, "I want him to come find me…" his crimson orbs flashed with excitement.

"But why would you want him to come here?" he blinked in confusion.

"Heh, because I have his true meister held here…" his eyes shifted to his opened bed room door, "Once he remembers that, he'll go crazy and try to find me."

The black haired man grinned at the plan, "Its brilliant!" he shot up from his seat and applauded his boss. Jun looked into Wes' dark room and found a light outline of a small figure in his bed; a blanket partially covered the nude body. Jun couldn't help but lick his lips, "I gotta say, I'm jealous…" his eyes never moved from the tiny body on the bed, "Say…might I have a go at it?" he turned to look back at Wes with a crazed look.

Wes narrowed his eyes at him, "If you know what's good for you, you wouldn't ask that question ever again."

The pale man blinked and swallowed. "Hey, I'm just kidding…chill. Why do you hold her so high anyways? I haven't seen you around your usual 'lady friends' since you've gotten the little one. What's up with that? You got married or what?" he chuckled.

Wes let out a small laugh, "Quite observant of you…It's so I can be embedded deep within her mind…and thus, her world is mine to control…I tell her what to believe, what to say, and what to do…"

Jun laughed excitedly, "Oh wow…Wes-kun, you've always been my idol!" he looked at the man across from him with such admiration in his eyes.

"Heh, it wasn't that hard to do…the best part is yet to come…It'll be fun to see what my little brother will do once he's here…"

"He has no idea…"

In the dark room, Maka's body laid still as a single tear escaped her lifeless eye because somewhere in the distance, she heard a heart slowly **breaking**.


	41. Unexpected

Everything around him was silent and still when the young boy came to. His eyes blinked countless times; trying hard to focus his blurry vision. He slowly sat up from the foreign bed but his head began to spin in agonizing pain, causing him to stop. He held his throbbing head in his hands in an attempt to cease the spinning but even his soft touch brought more pain.

"…What the fuck is wrong…?" he groaned as he slowly looked around the large space and found he was in a foreign room. His eyes scanned the dimly lit black and white room; trying to figure out where he was and how he got there. The white haired boy nearly jumped when he found a familiar face standing a few feet away from the bed. "Eh! K-Kiddo?"

"About time you woke up." The raven haired boy continued to watch Soul with piercing eyes.

"W-What the hell? Where am I?"

"**My** room; in **my** bed," he answered sharply, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"Huh? But wait...weren't we at school?" Soul squinted his eyes in confusion at Kidd. "I-I don't remember what happened…" he slowly lowered his head to the blankets. "Kidd…what _happened_?" his voice was barely a whisper.

The silent boy looked away, hesitating to answer his friend's question. "…You, Mauri, and the new guy passed out at school but I don't know why."

Soul's eyes widened, "Wait, what? But how- -?" just as the question left his mouth, all his thoughts came rushing back at once. His hands instantly flew to his head to stop the unwanted invasion of his painful memories. Soul's breathing became labored from the pain he was trying to endure. It was true; Mauri and Santiago were in the middle of kissing when a massive pain exploded in his chest. It felt as if his very heart and soul were being ripped apart to pieces. But in all honesty, that is what happened. "Ah…w-where are they…? Mauri and Santiago…" his voice groaned as he tried to stare at anything to take the pain away.

The young shinigami didn't move from his spot when he saw his friend struggling in pain. He knew there was nothing he could do for the weapon. The young boy motioned to the room outside his bed room with his chin. "They're all in the lounge…waiting for you to wake up."

Soul blinked, "How did we all get here if we all passed out?" he looked over at Kidd.

The boy slowly closed his eyes, "Professor Stein helped me bring you all here…"

"Professor Stein? But…why him? What did he have to say?"

"He didn't ask much…If anything I think he knew more than even I knew…you know he has that ability to read soul wavelengths. He just helped me bring you all here," his eyes slowly reopened.

Soul remained silent as his eyes shifted around as he thought to himself. "I should see them…" he finally let out with a sigh, slowly getting up from the bed.

Kidd silently watched him as he began walking towards the door. "Soul," he called without moving from his spot; signaling the weapon to stop in his tracks. "What the hell happened back there…?"

Soul stood there a moment before finally turning to look at Kidd from over his shoulder, "…The bond is **broken**…"

* * *

The black haired man stood in the large, empty and silent house by himself. Everything around him was silent and still as the dead; no sign of life anywhere. He had knocked on the front door but after five minutes of waiting outside he finally decided to let himself in by picking the lock to the massive house. "Hello? Wes-kun, are you home? I came just like you ordered!" he called out, trying to lure Wes if not his servant but got no response.

The slender man walked throughout the first floor in search of anyone but to no avail. He finally understood why the house was empty after he found a hand written note intended for him on the large desk in the study room.

_Jun,_

_Went to do some errands down town. Won't take more than 30mins. Stay on the first floor._

_-W_

Jun read the note twice; trying to understand why Wes would order him to only stay on the first floor. In the past Wes had let Jun wonder around his house with no worry, so why now? Just then the answer crept into his mind and made a grin crawl across his face. The man dropped the note back on the desk before heading to the stairs. He slowly climbed the steps with growing anticipation. His heart beat quickened as he slowly walked to Wes' bedroom.

His grin grew wider when he finally reached the door and found it to be locked; he loved a challenge. He was the type of man that believed a prize should be earned, never given on a silver platter. Once he picked the lock, the door slowly opened to reveal the pitch black room. Jun easily found Maka lying silently against the head board of the bed from the light that leaked into the room from the hallway. He noticed her lifeless eyes didn't break their concentration on the darkness to look at him.

The man licked his lips before **grinning** ear to ear.

* * *

"So you're her weapon and you came from Italy to save her?" Kidd asked as he shifted his eyes between Mauri and the tall man as they all sat in the lounge. Kidd and Soul shared a couch while Mauri and Santiago sat across from them on another.

Santiago nodded in response. Mauri remained silent next to him, eyes glued to her hands on her knees.

"…I did not want you to be brought into this Santiago…That is why I left _Italia_ and broke our bond…" she looked up at him from the corner of her eyes.

"If you thought I would actually let you leave without saying anything to me, you are sadly mistaken _Principessa_," the weapon looked down at her as he spoke through a tight line. "It's a good thing I came when I did or else you would truly lost yourself to the likes of **that**." Santiago motioned at Soul with his chin.

"What the hell did you just say?" Soul jumped to his feet; anger spiking.

"You heard me, _bambino_. You couldn't take care of her like a **real** man would. You're lucky I don't kick your ass for kissing her." The tall man stood to size Soul but was stopped by a hand on his chest.

"Santiago! _Abbastanza_! I do not want to have you two fight! Soul-kun has kept me safe while I have been away from you. Please show him respect." Mauri's eyebrows came together in frustration.

"Humph, I won't do such a thing. Look at him, can you even call him a worthy weapon to wield, _Principessa_? What can he do for you?" he laughed.

"More than you asshole!" Soul growled. "For your information I made Mauri the most happiest she's ever been! Even more than when she was with you!" Soul spat in anger. He knew his words could be a lie but he felt the man was throwing salt in his wounded heart so he had no choice but to fight dirty.

"Soul-kun stop this!" Mauri yelled at him, fear creeping up inside of her.

"Both of you shut up!" Kidd yelled at the both of them.

"Please _bambino_, you wouldn't know how to make a woman happy much less a girl." Santiago laughed hard.

Soul's face flushed in seething anger. "Ha! Jokes on you because I **am** a man and she's not a **girl** anymore!" Soul's voice rang out until it died away in the silence. His breathing was labored as he continued to glare at the man in front of him but soon realized what he had said from the expression on everyone's face. Both Mauri and he became mortified.

"…Um, did I just hear Soul claim he lost his virginity?" Liz slowly poked her head from around a corner with a freaked out expression.

"Haha! He did the nasty!" Patty laughed but even her laughter couldn't break the awkward silence and mortification that filled the room.

"…Ah **shit**…I'm **dead**."


	42. The Pain

**A/N: Sentences in _Italicized_ is Mauri speaking to Soul in present time while she remembers the past. **

* * *

"Sir, I believe it should be about time…"

Wes slowly raised his crimson orbs from his newspaper to look at his loyal servant standing beside him. The café they chose to waste time in was filled with his type of people. It wasn't crowded but it sure wasn't empty either. They all quietly chatted with their partners, typed away on their expensive laptops, or simply enjoyed their overpriced, quality made coffee. The man looked down at his watch before he took one more sip of his coffee. "Yes, if everything went according to plan, you should be right." He smiled as he got up from his table. "Let us check on my little pet, shall we?"

* * *

Silence was never welcomed in his presence but it seemed, just this once, the silence comforted him along with his solitude. It felt as if ages had passed but the stinging bruise on the young weapon's cheek reminded him time hadn't flown by. _Bastard got lucky…, _Soul cursed in his mind; remembering exactly how Santiago gave him the bruise with his balled up fist. _If Kidd and_ **_she_** _kept out of it, I woulda knocked him out cold…,_ his jaw tightened in anger.

Events leading up to his bruised cheek made Soul finally decided to isolate himself from everyone else to gather his thoughts in Kidd's dark room. He wanted answers to the unanswered questions that ran in his mind. What was his life like before Mauri came into it? The white haired boy knew he had a meister, but he couldn't see his or her face. Nothing about that person could be recalled, not even a name; and it killed him. Soul threw his head in between his knees, trying to calm his throbbing head as he sat on his friend's bed.

Just as his head began to calm, the door slowly opened to reveal a silent Mauri. Soul knew it was the meister even without raising his head to look at her. He was grateful he didn't need to because he didn't want to see her lying eyes.

Mauri stood near the door; hands fidgeting in her nervousness. She finally spoke after swallowing the lump in her throat, "May we talk…?" her voice quivered.

Soul remained silent without a reaction. "…why?" his sudden voice after a long pause caused the meister to jump slightly, "There isn't much to talk about…" he formed tight fists. "…I just hope you can be truly happy now…"

The young girl bit her lip before gathering enough courage to sit down next to him. "Soul-kun…I was happy when I was with you…My happiness is not a lie…I promise…" her eyes tried desperately to search for his underneath his snow white hair but to no avail.

Soul felt his emotions welting up inside as his eyes began to sting with tears he fought hard against.

"…Please forgive Santiago…he is very protective of me…" she spoke through a frown.

"Heh…yeah I know…he loves you…" he chuckled with no sense of humor in his voice. Mauri blushed at his words. "I would be mad too if the girl I loved slept with someone else…and for the first time too…" he painfully let out as he clenched his hands tighter.

The brown haired girl hesitated a moment, "Soul…Santiago is like you but is also very different…"

"You don't say…now why's that?" he sarcastically asked.

"You see, both of you are weapons and have pure hearts. But Santiago was not born into rich family but a poor one…Even though they were poor; they were filled with much pride…" Mauri smiled as she looked up at the ceiling as memories began replaying in her mind. "Santiago was born in December and it was a cold time…he lived in the plains of Rome near a city called _Villa Borghese_…it always snowed there but was always so green when spring came," her eyes glistened with the happy memory.

_But if was not until he was almost 13 years that he fought his first demon with his family…_

A younger Santiago stood in front of an ominous shadowed creature with his arm formed into the blade of his claymore form. His jet black hair barely reached his shoulders and his body was covered in scratches and bruises from his training, but his eyes were filled with determination.

_You see, Santiago has a family of only weapons…he was trained to fight at early age and with his siblings…_

Santiago dodged the deadly strike his older brother swung at him.

"Alcario! That's enough!" an older voice came from behind the taller boy.

"Humph, you know he won't get any stronger if we baby him- -!"

"I'm not a baby, Alcario!" Santiago quickly shot back at his older brother with anger in his voice.

"I am not ending the training. I want to see if he can wield anyone yet…"

"B-But _Nonno_…last time I- -."

"I don't want to hear excuses! You will wield one of your brother'in. It is part of being a _Gallo_. If you cannot do what all of us can, then you will be disowned of our family name…"

_Santiago spoke to me of his grandfather and how cruel he was to him and his brothers…he wanted nothing more than perfection from his family…it is why everyone in the Gallo family must form bonds with each new baby at birth with a single touch…it allowed them to wield each other in battle at any time but it is a painful thing to master…_

"Ahhhh!" Santiago screamed in agony as bright electricity flew from where he held his brother's hilt.

"Ahh! S-Santiago let go! Or you'll kill us both!" Acario screamed in pain.

"N-No! I can't! Not until I- -!" but his sentence was cut off by the cease of painful electricity. Instantly both brothers fell unconscious on the ground in front of them.

_You can see the scars from where he first learned to fight with his brother on his arms…he said it was to remind him how far he has come…but his near death would never be forgotten to him…_

"Hold on Santi! You're going to make it, don't you dare die!" Acario screamed with tears in his eyes as he watched doctors quickly take an older, pale Santiago away in a stretcher.

_He was hunting for Kishin eggs with his brother at Santa Maria del Popolo…a place where demons rise from the burial site of emperor Nero...it was after they learned how to wield each other but the demon was strong and it badly wounded and poisoned him before its death…If it was not for the Fatebenefratelli Hospital on Tiber Island, Santiago would surely perished that day…_

"My, you look like you've made a full recovery young man." A tall, built man happily entered Santiago's recovery room uninvited.

The young weapon studied the unknown man with weary eyes. "Sorry, but do I know you?" he scratched at his bandaged cheek. It was almost a month since he'd arrive at the hospital but he had already made a full recovery and was scheduled to be released that same day.

"Oh no, we have never met but I just wanted to thank you for what you do…I know of the _Gallo_ family and I wanted to meet at least one of the new kin." The man smiled wide with massive teeth.

Santiago blinked; he never had been thanked for what he believed was his sole purpose in life. The massive man didn't give him a bad vibe; if anything, it felt like the warmth of a mother, which he thought was confusing. "…It's my job to do this…you don't have to thank me…" he reluctantly said. He didn't want to show how happy he was to hear someone praise him for what he does. Especially from a well dressed man; perhaps he's rich?

The boy was startled by the man's large boom of a laughter that rang throughout the room. "You are a funny young boy. I am pleased with your strength and sense of humor. My name is Adriano and I would like for you to be my daughter's weapon." The man's face was filled with excitement.

Santiago was taken aback by the man's request. Regardless if he wanted to, he could never leave his family or his duty. They would never allow such a thing. "…I am sorry but I can't. I have a duty to my family and the people who live in fear of the Kishin in _Italia_…"

Adriano's expression slowly fell to disappointment. "I understand your reason…the only thing I can offer you is a better life than the one you have now…"

"No, money doesn't make people happy…I maybe from a poor family but at least we have **pride**."

_Santiago was never one to give up…but he did not know he would soon give in to my padre's wishes…_

After being released, Santiago slowly walked along the shore of the lower esplanade of Tiber Island; he needed to cross the bridge to the main land to wait for his family to take him home. He couldn't help but envy the many who laid themselves down to bask in the sun's rays. They were all so carefree and with perfect bodies; no scars to tell their tale. Santiago felt a lump in his throat from envy and sadness. He knew that kind of life would never be his to live and it pained him to admit such defeat.

_"Leave me alone!"_

A voice came from behind large boulders, far away enough where the tanning adults couldn't hear but Santiago could because of his keen sense of hearing.

_"Come on, little girl, I know you come from a rich family…you must have money..."_ An older voice joined after.

The young weapon followed the voices until he came upon a tall, unruly man making advances on a young girl. Santiago's heart skipped a beat as soon as his eyes laid on her. She had round cheeks and such perfect tanned skin he could have sworn she was made from milk chocolate. Her long brown hair was braided on each side of her head like low pigtails. The yellow from her sun dress complemented the pure blue sky above her. He couldn't understand why it felt as if time had stood still that very moment but he soon remembered the situation at hand.

"Hey! Leave her alone, creep!" Santiago called out in the deepest voice he could manage.

The man jumped and quickly turned only to find a small boy, making him laugh. "Little boy, you almost had me going there. Why don't you find your parents and go away? This isn't your business."

"It is now," he quickly shot back, "Leave her alone now and I swear I won't hurt you…that bad."

The man blinked before laughing again. "Oh, you want to be a hero, huh? Well let me teach you a lesson then- -."

But just before the man could touch him, Santiago transformed his arm into his blade, "Come any closer and you'll regret it old man."

"A-Ah! Y-You're one of them monsters!" the man tripped over himself as he ran off.

"Humph…good radiance…" the young boy spat as he returned his arm to normal before looking at the silently staring girl. "…ah…um…don't worry you're safe now." He quickly blurted before bowing to her awkwardly.

"Thank you very much. I don't know how to repay you!" she called out with a warm smile, earning a blush from the weapon.

"Mauri! Mauri girl, where are you?" a familiar voice called out.

"I'm over here!" the girl looked behind her and watched a tall man walk up to her.

"W-Wha? It's you!" Santiago blurted after noticing it was the same man from the hospital.

"Ah, if it isn't the weapon that got away?" the man chuckled. "I see you've met _mi principessa_, Mauri." He looked down at his daughter with a warm smile.

"You know him padre?" she looked up at him, a bit confused.

"Yes, we met at the hospital."

"Really? Wow, because he just saved me from a bad man."

Acario's eyes widened, "No, are you alright my love?" he instantly knelt down to examine her closer.

"I am thanks to him." She looked over at the silent boy with a friendly smile.

"Ha, I knew you couldn't stay away from my daughter."

"S-She's your daughter?"

"Yes, my only daughter in the _Napolitano_ family." He looked at Mauri with such love, only a father could have for his child.

"Wait, you mean like _Il Principe Russo_?"

"Kind of, he's my uncle and padre's brother." Mauri stated with a big smile.

"I-I had no idea you were family of the president! I must apologize," Santiago instantly dropped to one knee and lowered his head in respect.

"Oh no it's alright. We aren't important, we just so happen to be related. No need for such formalities. But I would like to reward you for saving my daughter. If there is anything you wish, I will grant it."

_It was his wish to serve me as my loyal partner and weapon for as long as he could…and ever since that day he has been my weapon and has been by my side…He was turning 13 and I had just turned 9…_

Mauri slowly opened her eyes to find herself in the same bedroom sitting next to Soul. "…He and I have been together for many years…we watched each other grow…we loved each other." She blushed slightly.

Soul's heart ached when he heard those words. "…Then why did you leave it all behind? If you loved him so much…" he barely managed, trying hard to keep his emotions stabled.

Mauri bit her lower lip and hesitated answering because she feared how he would take the truth. "…because a man threats the life of my uncle…"

The weapon blinked, "Wait what did that have anything to do with you leaving?"

The young meister slowly closed her eyes as her heart pounded hard in her chest; "The man ordered that I come here and fulfill his orders…to be your meister…" she slowly looked up at the boy with guilt and fear in her eyes.

Soul's heart sank instantly. His face contorted into a combination of anger, pain, betrayal, and disgust by the woman who sat beside him. "No…what…what are you saying? That our meeting wasn't a conscience? That it was all a lie?" Soul jumped off the bed and stood yelling at the young girl. "When you said you loved me, was that a lie too?"

Mauri's eyes were filled with painful tears, "No Soul-kun! I swear everything I felt with you was real!"

"How can I believe that? How do I know it's not a lie?" his emotions began to overflow inside of his trembling body. His eyes stung with burning tears, "I loved you Mauri! God damn it! I lost my virginity to you because I thought this was fuckin' real!"

"It was real Soul! I swear!" Mauri cried out as her tears streamed down her cheeks.

The weapon felt overwhelmed by all the emotions raging inside him. He couldn't look at her, it was too hard. Soul looked away as he buried his hands in his hair, trying hard to keep it together.

Mauri sobbed before speaking again, "…my purpose was to keep you from your real partner…and forget her…" she finally admitted before sobbing with guilt.

Soul froze in place instantly. His hands slowly left his head before he looked back at her with wide, crazed eyes. "…What did you say?"

The young girl cried, "…I am the reason why you cannot remember your partner…"

In an instant, Soul's hands were back in his hair, grabbing fists full of it as he yelled in painful anger. His head was spinning from everything he believed was real but was just a fabricated lie. He fell to his knees and held his throbbing head in his hands. Mauri knelt down beside him, trying to help him through the pain she inflicted on him.

"**Don't touch me!**" he yelled through barred teeth.

The young meister flinched away but understood his reaction was to be expected. "…I am so sorry…" she quietly apologized before sobbing again.

"No you're not! You're selfish! How could you do this to someone and still claimed to have loved them?" he screamed at her.

Mauri could feel a lump growing in her throat from his pain. His dark crimson orbs burned as red as fresh spilled blood and it scared her.

"Alright, that's enough!" Santiago busted through the door and stood next to her partner. "I will not let you yell at my meister that way- -!"

"You, **shut the fuck up**! You have no **fuckin'** right to talk right now!" Soul quickly climbed to his feet to size the taller weapon. "If you really want to do some good, why don't the both of you leave Death City and go back to Italy?" he screamed at both of them.

Santiago narrowed his eyes at the boy, "Fine, we were already discussing our departure…Mauri, let's go- -."

"No!" she screamed as she stood and stared at Soul with determined eyes. She crossed the distance between them slapped him across his face.

Soul's eyes widened from shock and confusion. For a moment all his hatred disappeared in the burning pain of his bruised cheek.

"I am not selfish; I am selfless. I know I did you wrong, so let me help you so that I can fix what I have wronged…" she looked at him with determination.

Soul couldn't speak. He knew the woman that stood in front of him caused him such pain and literally ripped his heart out for the whole world to see but he couldn't say no. But he couldn't say yes either.

"We should let them stay Soul…"

He followed where the voice came from and found Kidd leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.

"…Why should we?"

"Because for one, the person Mauri is working for hasn't realized anything is up yet. We can use this to our advantage- -."

"All I want is to find my partner and get back together with them. I don't have time to deal with their crap." Soul said as he made his way past everyone and out the bedroom door.

"Tell me Soul, do you know **who** she is? Your partner I mean." Kidd followed behind the determined boy.

"T-That doesn't matter! I'll find her and I'll bring her back." He turned to face Kidd.

"I'll help you; her name is **Maka Albarn**…"

The instant he heard the name, a pain shot through his head and all the fuzzy memories he couldn't fully recall were clear. She was a slender, beautiful, moss colored eyed, brown haired girl and he loved her. "…Maka…" he breathed, close to tears.

"Yes, Maka is your partner." Kidd quietly admitted. "But I'm serious when I say we should accept their help, Soul, because if you really want her back, you'll take my advice."

"Why the fuck should I?" Soul cursed as he rubbed his temples.

"Because Maka is with the man Mauri is working for…"

The weapon froze. "…No, you can't be serious…"

"Yes I am."

"What, did the man order her to take Maka from me too? And who the fuck is that, some prick? I'm pretty sure we can handle ourselves Kidd, we don't need them to get Maka back."

"Yes you will because it's your **brother** who has her…"

Soul's eyes widened and his heart stopped. "…W-Wes…?"

"Yes…and I feel that if we don't hurry, something **terrible** is going to happen to her…"


	43. Lifeless

**A/N: THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! I really really appreciate each and every one of them! ^^ We only have about...7 or so chapters so it's all going to end soon... hehe. ~Mizu**

* * *

The large door slowly opened, revealing a tall, anxious man. He slowly walked into the massive house and scanned the vast living room from one side to the other; as if to find any trace of something out of order; anything to feed his curiosity. He remained silent, holding his breath from growing anticipation. The man finally walked past the living room into the next door study.

His deep crimson orbs slowly traced every inch of the room until he found the simple, white note lying awkwardly on the large wooden table that was ahead of him. His mouth slowly formed into a mad smile from the position of the note.

"Wesu-sama? Do you think he came?" Mr. Napa's voice came from behind the tall, smiling man.

"Yes…I know he did." Wes grinned before turning on his heels and quickly made his way to the stairs; passing the confused servant.

"A-Ah sir, do you wish for me to hold any calls and guests?" the servant quickly called up the stairs, trying to catch his master before he disappeared into the unknown that was his bedroom.

"Yes, if anyone comes, verify with me first before you send them away. Don't bother me if it's nothing you can't handle…" Wes narrowed his eyes at the older man, "Oh, and whatever you do, **do not** come into my room…" Wes paused mid step and glared back at the older man, "Understood…?"

"Y-Yes sir, I-I will start on lunch then…" he nervously replied before bowing and disappearing into the kitchen.

Wes continued walking up the remainder of the steps before making his way down the enormous hallway towards his bedroom. A small unknown scent slowly came into his nostrils; causing the man to pause in his steps, trying to figure out the foreign scent. _What is this smell...?_, he asked himself before continuing towards his room ever so carefully. He wrinkled his nose once the metallic scent became so strong to ignore. The tall man could only stand in front of his room; starring at the wooden door with intricate designs that ran all along his door. His hand finally reached out and held the door knob; pausing once more before slowly turning it, finding it unlocked.

Wes smiled again, _Oh Jun…your obsession was the end of you…_

The door slowly creaked opened; the dim light from the hallways barely enough to illuminate part of the vast room. His eyes widened from the sight because he knew where the scent was coming from. "_Blood…_" he whispered as he looked at the stains that were splattered all over; on the walls and floor. Wes couldn't help but stand there; silently staring at the unexpected sight. His crimson orbs finally tore themselves away from the blood on the floor to look at his king sized bed; finding two forms lying there, motionless. His legs felt foreign to him as they slowly carried him toward the massacre. "_Oh fuck…_" he let out, barely a whisper.

* * *

Her foot steps were fast and loud; trying to reach her final destination as quickly as possible. Her heart beat hard against her chest; fear spreading throughout her veins like poison, all while her palms sweat at her sides. She had been walking endlessly throughout the city, trying to find a certain house. It seemed like hours had gone by until the familiar tall black gate appeared passing by next to her. Her brown eyes slowly looked past the metal bars to look at the far away mansion hiding safely behind them. Her legs finally slowed down to stop in front of the gate entrance with a small intercom on the side.

The young girl knew what she needed to do next; press the small buzzer but she couldn't. Her hands were frozen in place; fear keeping a tight hold on her, suffocating her in uncertainty and anxiety. Just when she thought she couldn't do it, she reminded herself why she was there in the first place. With determination, her hand came up and pressed the buzzer before her reason began playing in her mind.

_"Look, we need to pull it together or else we'll never save Maka."_

_A young, white haired boy looked over at the raven haired boy who spoke. "Fine…" he sighed, "We'll do it your way Kiddo…"_

_Death the Kidd looked over at the boy, "You'll work with them?" the emotionless boy gave a short nod in response._

_"Oh thank you Soul-kun," the same young girl called out, a smiling forming on her face, "You are- -."_

_"Don't think this means I have forgiven OR have forgotten anything…this doesn't change anything…I still want the both of you gone once this is all over…" Soul cut the brown haired girl off with his harsh words as he narrowed his eyes at her._

_"Don't worry, Mauri and I will be long gone before you realize it," a taller boy gently placed his hand on the young girl's shoulder as he narrowed his eyes back at Soul._

_"Santiago…" Mauri quietly hushed the weapon, frowning at the situation the three of them were in._

_"Alright, let's figure out how we're going to do this…" Kidd broke the tension in the air, trying to get back to the matter at hand._

_Mauri nodded before Santiago spoke, "Well, since Mauri worked for the man, surely she must know the where-bouts of his location, correct?"_

_His meister blinked, "O-Oh…well…yes…I believe I can remember this…" her eyebrows came together in worry._

_Kidd turned to look at Soul, "Don't you know where your brother lives?"_

_The white haired weapon stayed silent a moment, sighing before answering, "No…true I moved out of my parents' house long after Wes moved out but I never once went to see his house…I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of my reaction…" the young weapon clenched his jaw._

_Kidd sighed, "Ok, well looks like you're going to have to remember where it's at Mauri…"_

_Mauri nervously shifted her eyes before looking up at him, "Yes…I will try…"_

The brown haired girl was brought back from her thoughts with a slight jump from the sudden voice from the intercom.

"Evans' estate, who is it?" a man's voice called out.

Mauri swallowed before speaking, "Y-Yes hello…this is Mauri…I came to speak to Wes-sama…" There was silence on the other side of the intercom and with each second that past with no answer; her heart beat harder with each second that past with no reply. It felt as though an eternity had passed before the all-too-familiar buzzing sound rang out; signaling her gate was opened for her to enter. Swallowing hard, she opened the door and began making her way up to the mansion; the metal gate closing loudly behind her.

* * *

Wes continued to stare at the two lifeless forms on his bed; not moving from the sight. The larger form was face down, raven hair covering any sight of its face while the smaller form was partially nude, half the body was hanging off the bed. Wes finally built up enough will to reach out and lifted the larger form up until its own weight caused it to roll over and fall onto his back; revealing a dead, wide eyed Jin, staring up at him. Wes sucked in a sharp breath and held it a moment; staring at the lifeless man. Once he knew Jun wasn't breathing, a smile slowly began creeping across his face. A laugh chuckled out of him until he was laughing hysterically out loud to himself.

Jun was covered in his own blood that seeped out of the dozen holes that rattled his body. The wounds didn't look old but recently made; not even a couple of hours at most. The white haired man continued to laugh before he finally turned his attention to the smaller form that lay next to Jun's. His hand slowly reached out again; just inches away from touching the form when a sudden knock rang out; causing the man to jump slightly at the sound.

"What?" he screamed at the door, backing away from the bed until his back was pressed against the wall behind him.

"M-My apologizes sir, but the **meister** is outside asking to see you sir…" Mr. Napa nervously informed, fear in his voice.

Wes narrowed his eyes as he growled low in his chest. "…It had better be good…let her in!" he yelled, waiting until he heard the servant's footsteps disappear down the hall. The man growled to himself before looking at the smaller form again. "…It will have to wait…" he growled as he walked into his bathroom and began thoroughly washing his hands of all blood, making sure not a single spec is left. Just before he turned off the sink, he decided to splash his face with water. Wes held himself up by his hands on the sink but even the sturdy object couldn't help, he still felt his body trembling.

* * *

Mauri felt her dear spike up the moment she stepped through the mansion doors. Her brown eyes slowly looked up at Mr. Napa's face, fear beating hard in her veins. The man gave her a snobbish look as if he were to be looking at a peasant. The meister felt a lump forming in her throat but still tried to speak until she was beaten to it.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

The young girl snapped her head over to the stairs and found the white haired man walking quickly down the stairs, anger painted on his face. She bit her lip before speaking, "…I-I just came to…tell you I have f-finished what you asked f- -."

But she was cut off mid sentence from a burning sensation in her cheek that cracked her head to one side. She quickly grabbed her cheek and felt the hot surface under her touch, eyes watering from the pain.

"Did I not tell you to **never** come here…?" Wes slowly took angry steps towards her. Mauri's eyes widened in fear; scared of another slap or something violently similar to come. He narrowed his eyes at her, "What if my stupid brother decided to follow you?" he yelled at her as he looked past her to look through the window that was behind her, as if to check for Soul.

"I-I am sorry! I-I did not mean to…I just came for the evidence…" she backed away as she looked up at him with fearful eyes.

Wes' eyes snapped towards her, anger blazing. "You came here…to tell me this? And demand I just bgive/b you the evidence? Just like that?" he laughed briefly, "No, I'm afraid I need proof little girl."

Mauri's heart dropped, "H-How can I prove this?"

Wes thought a moment, slowly pacing. "…Well, I did have one idea…" he spoke through a wicked grin.

Mauri swallowed hard, "W-What is it?"

"I want Soul to attend a party. Soul is to return, crying about how he was wrong, disowning his weapon blood, and agreeing to play the piano again. That is all you have to tell him. If he wants his precious meister back, he'll go to our parents' house this weekend and say exactly as I said…" he grinned a toothy grin.

"B-But what about the evi- -?"

"You'll get it when I give it to you! Ask again and I'll make sure it goes to the highest bidder!" he yelled angrily. Mauri flinched at the loudness of his voice. The man smiled, "many people would pay big to have information on their president…especially if he was found responsible for the death of many…what would happen I wonder. Perhaps both the states and your country would want his head? But who would pay more, I wonder…?" he grinned at her evilly.

The meister's eyes widened in fear, "No, please…I beg you do not do this…I will do as you wish but please, the life of my uncle is important. He is not like that anymore…he is a kind man who helps his people…he knows what he did wrong so plea- -."

"Shut up! You're annoying!" he yelled before turning away and walking up the stairs.

"W-Wait! When is Soul to go?" she asked hastily, afraid to make a mistake to cause the death of her uncle or loosing Maka.

Wes paused mid step, "…Lets say Saturday night…at 8pm. But warn him, a minute early or a minute late, and he will never see her again…" he grinned before heading up the stairs. "Now get out of here…once I see you have done your job, I will send the evidence."

"From Jun..?"

Wes paused again before chuckling, "No, I'm afraid he's no longer with us…it'll be Napa most likely…but we'll find you, we always do…"

Mauri quickly turned and exited the mansion, down the pathway, and out the gate; running as fast as her legs could take her from the mansion and Wes' crazed mad man's laughter.


	44. Weapon

The sound of the door slamming shut brought the tall man satisfaction. It let him know everything was going according to plan. Everything he's worked hard to gain, to achieve, and to won is all coming together. The thought sent shivers down his spine. To think all the years he spent plotting was finally going to pay off. True, with each plan he formed he found only failure at the end of each one. But not this time; no, this was different. He knew it; he could feel it.

_All that's left is one piece…one more piece and my plan will not fail…_, he grinned at the thought as he quickly reached the room he was looking for. Without hesitation he ripped open the door, quickly shut it behind him, and locked it; he didn't want to be disturbed again. The strong scent of blood was still thick in the air but he had no ill reaction to it what so ever. His only thought and desire was to get **her** story.

Passing Jun's lifeless body as if it were nothing more than a mere discarded piece of trash, he quickly climbed on top of his deeply stained bed; not caring if his clothes were soiled with the crimson mess. He slowly pulled the small female body back onto the bed until she was lying against the pillows, sitting up slightly.

The man looked over her pale body but couldn't find a spot where she had been tainted by a red stigma. He checked every inch of her nearly nude body but found no sign of a bleeding wound, letting out a sigh of relief. The blood in her hair was already drying and was matting in clumps of tangled locks. He hesitated a moment before finally wiping the blood from her face, finding slight stains where the blood once was.

"_**Wake Maka**_," he lightly tapped her cheek with his hand, "**_Your master commands you…obey his wishes and open your eyes…Take the first breath of your new life…_**" he muttered with a grin.

The young girl's once moss colored eyes snapped opened instantly, revealing bright but distant dark forest green orbs.

"Good…tell me, are you well?" he held her face gently in both his hands, carefully watching her face for any hint of pain.

The silent meister slowly nodded her head as her eyes continued to stare off at the wall straight ahead.

"Were you injured?"

Maka slowly nodded her head again.

"Where, show me?"

The young girl slowly lifted her hands to him and flipped them over to reveal her bruised wrists.

The white haired man lightly ran his fingers across the purple skin, "It'll heal. Tell me," he looked into her eyes, "what happened? Speak exactly what happened in this room. **Every detail, now**."

He watched as her eyes became animated; shifting slightly from side to side as if she were watching it replay in front of her. "After Wes-sama left, I waited…in darkness…as you had left me…A **man** comes…I hear him enter the house…he calls for master…walks around down stairs…he's climbing up the stairs now, fast…his footsteps are coming closer…**He's there**…I hear the door handle move…but it is locked…something is picking at the lock…I hear a 'click' and then the door opens slowly…he comes in and I see him but I don't look at him…he closes the door and walks to the foot of the bed…asks me…"

_"What're you doin' all alone, eh?"_

"I don't answer…but he continues to stare at me…he doesn't move…only his eyes keep looking around…"

Wes' eyes narrowed slightly, "Where do they look to?"

The young meister thought a moment, "…At my body…from head to my legs…then around the room and at the bed…then he walks over to the side of the bed…he smiles…"

_"Where did Wes-kun go, darling?"_

"He reaches over and takes locks of my hair...but I don't move…I don't speak…that is when he slowly climbs on the bed…" her eyes slowly squint, as if trying to trying hard to see.

"What happened next?" Wes' voice became rushed, eager to hear the end of the story.

"He took my hair and came closer…smelling it…and he smiles…he then touches my cheek…softly at first almost as if scared but eager at the same time…" her eyes shifted from side to side quickly, "But he over comes his fear and pulls my face to his and kisses me and it hurts…"

Wes' eyebrow twitched slightly, "Why does it hurt?" his voice is nearly a growl.

Maka slowly squinted again, "Because he is kissing me hard…and forces his tongue in my mouth…"

The man let out a small growl, making the light brown haired girl stop speaking. "Keep going, I didn't tell you to stop."

Maka slowly blinked, but she continued her story, "…He is making me lie down…I stare at the ceiling behind his head but I still see him…touching me…"

"Where, show me?" his voice was filled with growing anger.

The girl slowly moved her hand to her chest before moving it down between her legs.

Wes' face twitched slightly, "Then what?"

"I feel him get between my legs…he is trying to take my underwear off…but I grab his hands, making him look at me…with a frightened expression…He is staring at me, wondering why but he takes my hands away…but I try to push him…he get upset and grabs both my wrists and pins them above my head…his free hand is on my underwear again…I feel them sliding off…I see his face…he is grinning…**licking his lips**…he is doing something…I can hear it…"

"What is it?"

Her eyes squinted again, "**Zipping**…something is being unzipped…it's his pants…I feel his hand on my thigh…he's getting closer…he leans forward…and whispers in my ear…"

"What does he say?" Wes' face is contorted in anger but he's on the edge of his seat; suspense eating away at him.

**_"Don't worry, this won't hurt for long…"_**

The man clenched his fists tightly, "What did you do?"

"…I feel something heat up inside me…my body feels as though my skin is going to **rip** from my muscles…and I yell…and I hear him scream…that is the last thing I know of before my vision went black…"

"What was the next thing you remember? The first thing."

The young girl thought a moment, shifting her eyes to find the answer, "…Feeling a hot liquid splatter on me…hearing the sound of **ripping, tearing, and breaking of flesh and bones**…and the smell of **blood**…everywhere…" her voice was small but unwavering.

Wes narrowed his eyes, "What was the last thing you saw?"

Maka hesitated a moment, "…Jun above me…**with a million blades going through his body**…looking down at me…trying to get away…to say something…but he can't…"

Wes blinked, "Why can't he?"

The young girl slowly turned to look at him, "…**because I stabbed him once more…through the _heart_**…"

Wes' eyes widened slightly, for just a split second; afraid of what he saw in her eyes. The **lack** of fear of **Death**.

"**I did as you ordered, _Master_…**"

Wes blinked before a smile slowly crept across his face from the thought. "Yes…you did well…" he slowly leaned forward, just inches away from her face as the thought of what he had ordered her to do rang out in his head.

_**Kill Jun in your weapon form when he least expects it…**_

His eyes began to glow with the lust and desire of spilled **blood**. He wanted more of it; not on his hands but on the hands of those he controlled. The man knew he had the last piece of the puzzle. The piece he needed to get what he wanted most; **Soul Eater Evans**.

"…You are ready to fulfill what is needed of you…my little **Maka-chan**…" he leaned in closer and kissed her; tasting the **blood** and **sin** of their **crime**.


	45. Fear

"Soul, where you going?"

The question made everyone in the room uneasy and worried. Some were sitting but most weapons and meisters were sitting scattered around the room silently for a long while before the uncomfortable silence was broken. Everyone slowly looked over at who the raven haired boy was looking.

The white haired boy paused mid step, "Need to be alone for a while…unless if I'm not allowed around your house…" Soul spoke with no emotion before he walked out of the room, not waiting for an answer.

Kidd stood silent, staring at the direction the disturbed weapon had left. "Kiddo…do you think he's gonna be ok…?"

The young raven haired boy slowly looked over at one of his weapons, "…I don't know…put yourself in his shoes and you tell me…" he quietly replied before looking out a nearby window at the distant sky.

* * *

Soul slowly walked throughout the enormous house with his eyes glued to the moving floor beneath his feet. He had to get away from everyone. The silence since Mauri had left was thick in the air as if the tension between Santiago and Soul wasn't enough. He couldn't stand it, especially with his heart aching from the recent realization of who Maka was.

_Damn it!_, he cursed in his mind as he punched a nearby wall. His crimson eyes closed tightly shut as he gritted his teeth as the enormous wave of guilt, hate, anger, disgust, fear, uncertainty, and sorrow crashed over him. "…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Maka…" he whispered as the memory of her smiling at him flashing in his mind, bringing stinging tears to his eyes. "…I'm so…sorry…I didn't protect you…" he cried before he punched the wall again. His hand burned with pain upon impact but he didn't care. He had failed as a weapon and a friend to the person he swore to protect and keep safe; even at the cost of his own life. "…**I fucking hate myself**…" he growled as he threw his hands into his face, covering his face as he let out a muffled yell that shook his entire being.

The weapon was snapped out of his trance with the sound of the large entrance door was opened and loudly closed shut.

_"M-Mauri?"_

_"Ah, Mauri? W-What's wrong?"_ Santiago's muffled and frantic voice called out.

Soul looked toward the sound of their muffled voices, waiting for Mauri's response but was met with silence.

_"Oi, Mauri! What's wrong with her?"_ Kiddo yelled.

Soul quickly wiped his eyes away of his tears as he made his way back into the living room to face the problem. "What's going on?"

Everyone looked over to where Soul was standing but only Liz answered. "W-We don't know. She just came in and won't say a thing." She spoke with a worried and uneasy expression.

Soul looked at Mauri and found her wide eyes staring at nothing as she continued to breathe heavily fast. "She's hyperventilating…" Kidd muttered without taking his eyes off her, "Santiago, has this happened to her before?"

The tall man didn't break his stare on his meister, "…N-No…I mean..Not since she was young."

"Knew it, she's having a mild panic attack." Kidd finally deducted, "Liz, get a glass of water, hurry."

The sound of her name made her jump slightly before she nodded and ran off. Soul slowly made his way toward the hyperventilating girl as he watched her reaction. Her forehead was covered in sweat and her face was pained with horrific fear. Suddenly, everything around him and her went silent and seemed to slow down. Soul pushed pass Kidd and Santiago to stand directly in front of the shaking meister.

"Mauri…look at me…" he gently and slowly spoke before taking her face between his hands.

The frantic girl continued to stare through him with wide fearful eyes.

"Mauri, listen to my voice. You are safe now...Breathe. Calm down," he stared into her eyes until he found her eyes had relaxed a bit. "Good, good…Now, breathe. Just breathe."

Mauri watched him as she took deep, calming breaths.

"Want water?" he asked as he continued to stare into her eyes. The young girl nodded in response. Liz handed the white cup of water over to Mauri before she took her seat back on the couch.

Mauri took slow, shaken gulps before taking more calmed breaths. "…T-Thank you…" she let out.

"Now tell me, what happened." Soul stared deep into her eyes.

The young girl looked up at the boy to meet his gaze. Her eyes became fearful but stayed controlled. "…He is not ready to give up…he say I am to give you his message…" her voice was filled with hushed fear.

Soul flinched, "What message?"

Mauri swallowed, "If you wish for Maka, you must go to a party at your _**padres**_' house…"

Soul's face slowly contorted to disbelief.

"W-What does that mean- -?" Liz asked but was cut off.

"It means…my bastard brother wants me to go to the place where I ran away from…he wants me to go back **home**…"


	46. Son

The woman's eyes slowly crept from each working man below where she stood on the second floor of her vast mansion. The day was early but it didn't stop the mansion from being busy with the many men arranging for the gala; that were set for later in the evening. Her jaw line was firmly set and her emerald orbs were narrowed, as if looking down at working ants. Her eyes quickly darted over to her right when the outline of a servant in a suit caught her attention at the foot of the stairs below.

"What?" she hissed.

"A-Ah, m-my lady, there is a guest at the door…" his voice quivered in fear as he tried desperately from trembling under her fierce stare.

"Turn them away. How rude to show up to a gala so early when things are yet to be finished…" her eyes narrowed at the man, giving him a disgusted look before turning to walk away with her long flowing hair following close behind.

"H-He says he is your son, my lady…"

She stopped mid-step before slowly turning to look at the quivering man below. "Why are you asking permission for such a thing? Should it not be obvious enough to know the answer to this little dilemma of yours?" she slowly climbed down the stairs, speaking with a soft voice that hinted at pure anger.

"Y-Yes my lady, b-but I did not wish to over step my- -."

"You're what? Insolence? Stupidity? Or your lack to think for yourself? Which is it?" she stopped at the last step so she may lean forward and growl in the servant's face.

"N-N-No ma'am! I-I-I just wanted to- -."

"Oh shut up and let my son in! And if you ever ask me such a ridiculous question again, I will end you…and I do not mean just your services here," she spoke with a kind voice as her eyes flashed with a hunt of something crazed.

The man's expression fell, his face became pale, and his forehead was covered in sweat beads.

"Do I make myself clear…?" her voice was hushed but held its fierceness as she fixed his tie; tightening it until the point he felt as if she would choke him if she went further.

"Y-Yes my lady! V-Very clear!" he yelled fearfully before quickly turning on his heels back towards the front door.

* * *

"Oh mother, you're always so humorous when you abuse the servants."

"Shut it Wes…" she growled, pouring herself a drink. "There is nothing humorous about thoughtless servants!"

Wes snickered to himself, "Oh, I don't know about that."

Sophia looked over and glared at her son in his chair with Maka kneeling at his feet. "Oh yes, how could I forget your puppet…Why did you bring her? She's just an empty vessel after all."

"You don't remember my plan? Oh, but you should. It involves my little brother after all…" he grinned.

"Ugh, again with that damn child…what is it this time?" she growled before taking a big drink.

Wes chuckled, "Please dear mother, of course you should remember my brilliant plan," he smiled at her, "I'm going to bring him back to us…"

"And how will you manage that? That boy cares nothing for the prestigious items we have gained and worked so hard for." She seethed.

"Be that as it may, I, on the other hand, do have the only thing he does want." He gestured over to an expressionless Maka.

The woman's eyes widened slightly, "Of course…I nearly forgot." A smiled pulled at the corner of her mouth.

"M-hm."

"But it won't last. Once you trade her, he will have no reason to stay." Her mouth returned to a hard line.

Wes grinned, "That's where you're wrong, dear mother."

"You have a plan to counter that predicament?" her face held a hint of twisted hope.

"Come now, am I not your son after all?" he grinned wickedly.


	47. Deal

**A/N: WOW! Thanks so much for everyone (Guests included) who have reviewed this story, I now have 100 reviews ^^ May not be much to some but to me it's a big deal lol Thank you so much again! And thanks for reading :3 hope you continue to enjoy. There are only...about 5 chapters left...so enjoy it while you can! ^^ ~Mizu**

* * *

Soul slowly came to a stop in front of the large, metal gate. His head slowly lifted to look at the massive mansion. It was just as big as when he last saw it but somehow, even after he grew up, it still made him feel so small. The weapon couldn't help but touch the cold metal bars in his hands to verify that that exact moment was indeed real. He stared hard at the black bars in his hands; he couldn't get over the fact that it were these exact bars that held him captive for the majority of his miserable life.

The young boy's concentration was broken by the bright figures that passed him by. Soul couldn't help but grimace at the sight of the many glamorous adults as they walked up the stairs of the mansion. He finally broke the hold he held on the gate and made his way up the walk way. Soul quickly glanced down at his suit and black dress shoes; thinking it was a good thing he didn't throw them away after he found them in a suitcase from when he ran away from home a while back. _And it still fits…_, he thought to himself as he gave his crimson tie a tug.

Many limos and expensive cars of all styles continued to make their way into the circular drive way in front of the stairs in a single line, bumper to bumper. Soul's eyes were captured by a small dark haired boy dressed in a tight suit. Soul felt disgusted as he noticed the small boy's distant, sorrowful expression as his mother pulled him quickly up the stairs behind her; nearly dragging him.

_I'm sorry…but someday, you'll see there is another world…it'll be better…someday…someday…_

Soul was blinded by the white light from the over sized chandelier that hung up top the enormous ballroom he had stepped into. His gut told him to leave, run far away from the place and everyone inside. But he knew he couldn't. If his meister and best friend was to be found there, he had to do everything and anything to get her back.

"Soul-kun!" a loud voice rang out, causing the entire crowd to fall silent and look up at the source.

Soul snapped his head up and found Wes as he looked down from the tall balcony of the large, museum-like dance hall. The weapon's eyebrows came together as he watched the man in his obvious rehearsed lines that slithered out of his mouth as he made his way gracefully down the stairs toward him. Both brothers looked alike; a black suit with a bright crimson tie, snow white hair, and blood orbs that always held so much more behind them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my dear kid brother, Soul Evans!" Wes called out as he reached the young boy, earning a loud applause from everyone. "Yes, he has returned home after so many years!" Wes happily said with a smile.

Soul flinched at the false love and relief the man's voice held. Wes quickly crossed the distance between them and opened his arms toward him.

"_Play the part or you will have **her** blood on your hands…_" Wes harshly whispered to him as soon as his back was turned toward the crowd. Wes pulled him into a tight hug without warning.

The young boy gritted his teeth and contemplated pushing the man away and screaming in front of everyone, but he knew he couldn't do anything. He thought it was funny how at that exact moment, his mind decided to replay a familiar memory from his past.

_Soul could see himself back when he was just a child; a boy of merely four years old. The little boy sat on the floor with his small wooden building blocks beside him as the beautiful sound of music played around his small frame. A young Wes practiced his violin in the same room as his little brother._

_They often spent their youthful days in the same manner; Wes had to practice four hours after he got out of his private all boys academy while Soul was left to play by himself. Wes lived a very stressful life, juggling hard classes, violin lessons after school, attending Kuk Sool Won practice, all on top of having a strict mother who watched his every move like a hawk._

_Wes stopped mid of his song to scratch an itch on his nose but noticed Soul as he played happily by himself. The young boy couldn't help but join his kid brother and began to play alongside him. They continued to play together but were so lost in their innocent joy and laughter that neither of them noticed their mother standing behind them, watching._

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" _she yelled as she pulled him up from the ground by his arm, tightly._

_Wes' eyes opened wide from fear. His body fell numb and cold from her touch. His mouth couldn't form words from the piercing glare she gave him._

"Wes, answer me when I ask you a question!" _she screamed before she slapped him across his face._

_The young boy didn't flinch or move. The years of pain and punishment had taught him to resist and grow a tougher skin with each strike he took. His dark crimson eyes slowly looked at her with no emotion._ "…What did I do wrong Mother…?" _his voice was cold with indifference._

_The woman gritted her teeth in rising anger_, "You know damn well you shouldn't be around **that** thing!" _she pointed over to Soul, who looked scared and confused, with a disgusted expression._

"He is my brother…and your son…Why are you like this?" _Wes frowned before it was wiped off his face by another slap._

"Don't talk back to me! I hate that child…nothing but disgrace to this family…" _she sneered._

"M-My Lady, please, let me take the boy elsewhere…" _the frightened voice of a young woman came from behind Sophia. Wes watched the small framed servant slowly enter the room with frightened steps._

_Her work uniform was that of a traditional household maid; a black dress that reached her knees, a small white apron that was tied tightly at her lower back, and a small white head piece that complemented her dark brown hair._

"Take him far away from here! It's your job to keep him out of my sight and away from Wes; and you're doing a poor job at both, I must say…" _her voice was filled with sheer discontent before she walked out of the room._

_Wes stood silent as he watched the saddened woman gather Soul's toys, as his cheeks burned. _"Wait,"_ he quietly ordered just before her hands touched Soul's tiny body. The servant turned to face the young boy, waiting for his explanation but saw him walking toward Soul instead._

_Wes slowly pulled Soul up to his feet before he knelt down in front of him. The small toddler had tears in his eyes but was too afraid to cry from previous painful lessons. The young boy wiped away his little brother's tears before he pulled him into a gentle embrace._

"A-Ah, young master, i-if the lady sees you- -."

"Shut up." _Wes hissed before he turned to whisper into Soul's ear_, "**_Someday…it'll be better…someday we'll be ok…someday…someday…_**"

"Oh! He's home!" the sudden loud voice instantly broke Soul's forgotten flashback and brought him back to his nightmarish reality. Almost as if it were his cue, Wes released his embrace on Soul so that he could look up to find the owner of the loud voice at the top of the stairs. It was his mother. The older woman looked down at Soul with rehearsed tearful eyes.

"Yes, our dear son has returned to us, Sophia, my love." A deep voice boomed, demanding everyone's attention. Soul watched as his tall and intimidating father took his rightful place next to his wife as he spoke down to the crowd, "As you all may know, our son, Soul, left to become a better weapon; one who could someday achieve the prestigious title of _Death Scythe_…"

"And since that fateful day, we have made it our duty to throw a party, a gala, in hopes that one day, he will come home and have a perfect welcome home…" his mother tear up before she gave a slight pause. "…And to see him here today…makes our efforts and wishes worth all our hardships…" she looked down at him with fake loving eyes. Soul felt his stomach churn from all the lies that were being thrown at him.

The applause of the entire room slowly drowned out in the darkness that seeped out of his "so-called family". Soul couldn't help but glare up at the "mother" that abused him through his young years and the "father" that never spoke to him unless if he was being condescending and hateful. But just as suddenly as the sound drowned out, the applause returned full volume with the touch of Wes' hand on his shoulder. Soul instantly looked up at him, almost feeling the urge to attack from the unexpected foreign touch.

"Friends, thank you all for joining and being a part of this tremendous accession. However, if you would please excuse us, our family needs to reunite in privacy for a short moment." Wes looked down at Soul and smiled. "Please, enjoy the party. It's a celebration after all!" he called out, earning a loud cheer from the crowd before pulling Soul up the stairs with him.

Soul watched his mother the entire time it took for him to walk up the stairs. He studied her ling midnight dress and noticed how it shimmered just as brightly as a dozen scattered lights on a starry night. Her long blonde hair was tied neatly but let it fall down her back in bundles of curls. The brightness of her red lipstick demanded his full attention. He couldn't help but find the smile she gave him resemble the same twisted and crazed one that Wes often gave. **He truly was her son.**

Sophia opened her arms out to Soul once they reached the top of the stairs. The weapon almost hesitated to accept her invitation but knew he too had to play the **game**. Her hug could have passed as sincere but Soul knew it was forced, even as she walked close beside him through the large double doors that lead all of them into the large study Soul knew far too well.

The young boy knew as soon as the door clicked shut, his life was no longer his. He felt it as soon as the burning sensation erupted in his right cheek where his mother suddenly slapped him.

"To think you'd take the bait, you little shit…" she growled with a hateful expression. Soul just stood there and watched her, silently.

"What do you expect from a weapon, Sophia? Their lives aren't worth living without their partners…" his father narrowed his eyes before he took his seat behind his large wooden desk. His father's wine colored orbs looked Soul up and down, as if judging every inch of his body. His dark grey suit resembled that of both his sons but was distinct with the bright crimson that radiated from a handkerchief that was tucked neatly in chest pocket on his left breast.

"Crock of shit! He knew as well as anyone that his life was ours!" she screamed at her husband. "I gave you life so you belong to me! Understand?" Sophia turned to scream in Soul's face. The weapon didn't move or say a word, but continued to stare. The woman was about to scream again but the weapon beat her to it.

"Where's Maka?" he calmly asked and looked over at Wes from the corner of his eye.

The tall man couldn't help but laugh at the question. Sophia walked away from Soul, too enraged to speak. "You'll see her in due time…why not enjoy the party? Dance a littl- -."

"Cut the crap and tell me where she is…**now**." his voice was sharp and serious. Both brothers stared at each other, neither willing to back down. "I didn't come here for you to play games anymore Wes." he growled as he barred his sharp teeth.

Wes let out a sigh, "Always so impatient…so be it. Maka-chan, come here." He called without taking his eyes off his little brother's.

Soul was caught off guard by his brother's quick surrender and from the sound of his meister's name. The weapon heard the sound of a door slowly opening near him. His heartbeat quickened from anxiousness and excitement. His crimson eyes widened as he watched Maka slowly walk out of the next door room in a simple pure white dress, barefooted, and her hair in loose curls, and a blind fold over her eyes. Soul felt his throat closing and his mouth get arid. He couldn't believe his eyes as he watched her walk across the room to reach Wes. The weapon wanted to stop her, to hug her, kiss her, take her away, to **save** her, but he was frozen by the sight. A sudden pain shot through his heart, making the boy grab his chest and wheeze from the pain.

"Yes, Wes-shihan?" she spoke, without a single glance in Soul's direction.

The weapon began to breathe hard from the growing pain but he still tried to reach out to her. "…M-M…Ma…ka…" he forced out with every ounce of his being, hoping to snap her out of her trance.

Maka slowly turned her head in his direction but said nothing. Wes laughed loudly before Mr. Napa came out of the same room Maka had appeared from and guided her back into the dark room. Soul tried to go after his partner but was stopped by Wes hand on his wrist. The weapon used his whole being and turned his arm into his blade before attempting to cut Wes but his attack was easily dodged.

"Now don't test me little brother…" Wes quickly maneuvered his way around Soul's attacked so that he could whisper in his ear before punching him in the stomach.

"W-What is it that you want from me?" Soul screamed, holding his stomach, "I'm here! Like you told me to! Give her back to me!"

Wes chuckled, "Oh, come now Soul, surely you know it wasn't going to be that easy, did you?"

Soul gritted his teeth, "…What do you want…?" he seethed.

"A deal with you is all…" the man smiled wickedly.

"What deal?" Soul felt uneasy from his offer.

"All you need to do is stay here, with our parents…for starters."

Soul growled in his chest, "And…?"

"Then, start playing your piano again…alongside me…"

"Anything else?" Soul growled again.

Wes shook his finger back and forth, "I'm not finished yet…" he giggled, "You will never look or try to find Maka…in exchange, I will release her back to her apartment but, and this part is important, she will not remember you at all."

Soul's eyes widened, "Wh-What do you mean? You can't just make her forget about me! You're crazy!"

"Oh, on the contrary, I can…You see, I've been insider her…mind plenty of times…" he grinned, "It's very interesting how deep you can go inside of a…**willing mind**." Soul shook from anger and charged at him but again, Wes dodged him, "You really ought to stop that. You know I've taken Kuk Sool Wen since even before you were born," he chuckled. "But in all honesty, those are the conditions in which she could be released from my hold…"

The weapon gritted his teeth in anger. He felt his eyes begin to sting from so much pain and hate.

"Get over whatever you think you might have with that girl Soul. **You belong here…**" Sophia chided.

Soul felt his soul long and cry out to Maka's, in hopes she would respond but he found her soul chained and no longer brightly filled with life. His eyes widened from the sudden realization. _I-I…can't save her…not like this…not this way…_, he thought to himself as he let his tears welt up. _She has been suffering the whole time we're been apart…while I only fell in 'false' love and got my heart broken…_, he gritted his teeth and lowered his head. "…Fine…I accept you conditions…" he tried hard to keep his voice steady but two tears still fell from his eyes.

"Excellent!" Wes called out with his arms out, as if getting ready to hug him.

"But…" Wes stopped mid-step from Soul's sudden loud voice. He slowly raised his head to glare at his brother, "…you have to promise me…you'll leave her alone…and everyone else who I know and am friends with…"

Wes slowly smiled, "Oh dear brother, as long as I have you here to keep your end of the deal, I don't need to use anyone else anymore. They were all pawns in this **game of chess**…and I finally got you…" Wes slowly rose his hand and pointed his index finger straight at Soul, "**_…chekkumeito…_**"


	48. Blame

The day appeared normal as could be. Many people were going about their daily lives; normal and carefree. Children ran down the street, racing against each other for first place. The young meister watched them race by but they held no interest for her. Everything was painted shades of grey for her it seemed. She didn't feel sick but she knew something inside her wasn't right. As if **something** was missing but **something** else was in its place; something that didn't belong.

Maka couldn't put her finger on it, but whatever it was, shouldn't be too important if she couldn't remember what it was. But the feeling reminded her of how her apartment made her feel; alone, with an empty feeling. She had barely returned last night and found to be the only one there after she read a note from Blair.

_Maka-chan,_

_I'm not sure when you'd be back so I decided to spend some time away for a while…Hope things are ok…see you soon._

_~Blair_

The note was in the cat's writing but it felt odd to Maka. Some of her sentences were scratched out so badly, Maka couldn't make out any of what it once read. Once she figured it was useless to try to decipher, Maka crumpled it up and threw it away.

The young girl shook her head from the thought as she got closer to Shibusen. She slowly climbed the long amount of stairs that lead up to the entrance. Maka couldn't ignore the many stares of meisters and weapons that were lounging around by the front entrance, waiting for school to start. She knew she had been away from school for a while, but the stares were obsessive, she thought.

The meister was just about to speak her mind when a familiar voice rang out, "Ah! Maka-chan! She's come back!" the light brown haired girl turned her head toward the direction of the voice and found Tsubaki, Black*, Liz, Patty, and Kidd making their way to her as fast as they could.

Tsubaki was the first to reach the young meister and greeted her with a tight loving hug. "Oh, Maka-chan, we've missed you so!" she cried out, eyes watering from the overwhelming emotions rushing through her.

"Yeah Maka, we thought you'd never come back..." Liz's eyebrows curved upward in a worried expression with growing tears in her eyes.

Maka looked around at her fellow classmates and found each of them to have somewhat of a relieved expression on their faces. The young girl was puzzled by what she saw, especially when her eyes finally fell upon the last individual; Death the Kidd. She couldn't quite put her finger on his expression, but it didn't change the fact that it made her feel the same way; ashamed and sorry. She knew it was time for her to speak when everyone stared at her with questionable eyes. "I-I missed you all too," she smiled warmly, "But I'm ok, so no need to worry."

The group reacted almost in unison, surprised by the nonchalant tone in her voice. "But…" Liz finally spoke, "What about Soul? Where is he? Didn't you see him?"

One of Maka's eyebrows curved up while the other lowered before she shrugged.

"W-What does that mean? That you don't know…?"

"No…I just don't know who you're talking about." Everyone stared at her; eyes wide and mouths slightly agape.

"Y-You're kidding…right?" Black* finally spoke up, "You're crazy if you forget someone like Soul." He smiled, thinking the joke was funny.

"I'm not joking, I'm serious." She stared at each one with a serious expression. The young girl didn't understand why her friends were acting this way with her. She knew she's been gone for a while from school but this seemed a bit over the top. And the name _Soul_ didn't ring any bells inside her mind so she didn't know what they were getting at with this. "Sorry, but I got to go…Shinigami-sama wants me to report to him before going to class." She waved to the lost group before she walked toward the shinigami's office.

Kidd's hands were balled into tight fists at his sides, growing upset by Maka's condition. He wasn't sure if it was an act or what. All he knew was that it upset him very much. He knew he loved her more than just a friend, but he loved and respected her enough to want things to go back to the way they were. "Oi- -!" Kidd quickly swirled around and tried to catch her attention before she disappeared from site but was stopped.

"Hello."

* * *

"Shinigami-sama!" Maka called out with a bright smile as she hurried over to the tall god.

"'Ello Maka-chan, it's been ages it seems." The god hugged the girl as soon as she wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. "How are you?" he pulled back to get a better look at her. She looked the same as she did when she left but something was different about her, the shinigami deducted.

"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I'm just happy to be…back…" her voice dwindled off when she noticed the god staring silently at her for a long time. "Um…is something wrong?" she looked down at her simple attire of a red plaid skirt and white long sleeved button up shirt with her black boots but didn't find anything out of place in her eyes.

"Oh no, nothing's wrong. Just procedure that I checked over you to make sure you were treated correctly while you were out of my care. After all, your papa would have my behind if I let you go into the hands of someone terrible."

Maka chuckled slightly, "You mean to see if I was abused? No, no, nothing to report sir. Wes-shihan was good to me." She smiled warmly.

"Ah, my Maka-chan!" a shrill voice called out from behind the shinigami. Both meister and god looked over to find a maroon haired man running toward them with tears streaming down his face with his hand stretched out in front of him.

Maka gave him a disgusted face before she dodged the man's embrace, causing him to fall flat on his face. "Papa, why can't you ever act appropriately?"

The man slowly picked himself up while he held his nose in pain, "Ow, Maka! Why would you dodge Papa's loving arms?" he whined.

Maka snorted, "Oh please, you know I don't enjoy your hugs." She crossed her arms.

"B-But Papa loves you!" Spirit cried, wrapping his arms around his daughter.

"Papa, get off!"

The tall shinigami watched Maka as the two continued to bicker. He couldn't help but remember the conversation he had just yesterday…

* * *

The shinigami sat at his coffee table with his cup of tea sitting in front of him as he looked at the man across from him. Something about the slender white haired man didn't sit well with the god but he couldn't go off mere feelings.

"_Maka will return to school tomorrow, healthy and well, caught up on her extra credit._" Wes smiled warmly at him.

"_I'm happy to hear it._" the god took a sip from his green tea.

"_But,_" Wes watched the god lower his cup, "_Soul Eater will be pulled out from school starting tomorrow it seems._"

The shinigami was surprised by the man's response. "_May I ask why that is and why it is that you know?_"

Both men stared silently at each other for a long moment before Wes finally smiled, "_Because of the events that happened between them during their separation they decided to be apart for a while longer._" Wes looked down at his cup of tea and slowly spun it around, "_And the reason I know this is because Soul's parents told me he would be returning home to them. I am very close to them and they told me his reason for leaving- -._"

"_I don't believe what you're telling me._" the god stared down at the man through hard eyes. It wasn't possible to believe, none of it was. Like a giant pill, it wasn't easy to swallow. "_Soul came to me only a few short years ago, but I know everything there is to know about my students here. Soul Eater ran away from his parents for his own good reasons, I didn't pressure him into telling me, but I accepted him with us because I knew he had great potential and I didn't want him living on the streets like he was. Even if that weren't the case, Soul cares very much for Maka-chan. I don't see how he would be able to part with her so easily because trust me; splitting them up in the first place wasn't so easy for me. So I'm sorry to say this Evans-kun, I do not accept what you're saying to me._"

Wes slowly closed his eyes, "_I understand why you would feel so. But the truth is Maka-kun is upset at the fact that Soul is backing out and won't come to school. And Soul won't come to school because Maka-kun is there and he feels she won't forgive him for what happened between he and his temporary meister, Mauri was it?_"

The shinigami was taken aback, "_Is that so? Well that isn't an excuse. They both need to pull through what happened because this is not only a school; it's a way of life. They are needed to defend the people of this city and those who can't._"

"_Yes, but can you really say such a thing? Look at what happened to Maka-kun's parents. They were partners, but separated because of something similar to this. Can you understand where I'm coming from?_"

The shinigami just realized the similarities and the realization hit him hard. Maka always had trouble trusting men in her life because of what happened between her parents. This wasn't an easy thing for her to accept, he thought. He understood now why it is the way it is. "_…I will speak to her…I want to make sure she is well…_"

The blue eyed man nodded slowly, "_I understand._"

* * *

The god returned from his flash back to find his Death Scythe on the floor, crying with Maka's hand formed into a fist. "Maka-chan, may I ask you something?"

The young girl blinked before she turned her attention to the god, "O-Oh, I'm sorry Lord Death." She chuckled nervously.

"It's quite alright, but might I ask about Soul?"

Maka's eyebrows came together, "…I'm not sure who that is or why people keep asking me about him…"

The shinigami stared at her a long moment while Wes' voice rang out in his head; _Its best to indulge her for now…until she feels better._ The tall man finally let out a defeated sigh before letting her go. "You're free to go to your next class Maka-chan…"

* * *

"Hello there," a tall man spoke the group of meisters and weapons, "I'm Maka-kun's violin instructor, Wes. Would you happen to be her friends?" he gave a genuine smile as he looked at each one. They all gave him a slight nod but were all on guard. "Oh, glad I found you guys. I wanted to tell you not to stress Maka-kun out with asking about her old partner because they aren't on good terms right now. But they are working things out away from school and from everyone else. So be patient, ok?"

None of them believed his lies or his fake wolf grin. "Where's Soul?"

Wes blinked and looked over at who the question came from, "Well, Kiddo-kun, last I heard he's back home with his parents." The man gave the boy a slight glare.

"Where is it? We want to see him." Kidd matched his glare without backing down.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know where that is- -."

"You're a liar." Wes blinked. "You should know you both are **brothers**…"

Wes stared at Kidd for a while before he let out a chuckle, "I see that my **birdie** decided to speak, eh?" he laughed louder, before he walked toward the exit but stopped next to Kiddo and placed his hand on his shoulder. "**_This is even bigger than you or your little friends could even imagine…Don't cross me Shinigami-chan, I still have the upper hand in this dangerous game…_**"

The raven haired boy didn't look at the man but he could tell from the seriousness in his voice and the way the man's hand tightened on his shoulder he meant every word. "I think it's you who's mistaken…we won't stop until things are set back to the way things were…the **right** way." He looked up and gave Wes a serious glare.

Wes chuckled loudly, "Oh such is the life of a child…to think **her** death was just to be on my brother's hands…but I guess it will be up to each of you as well…" he glanced at the rest of the group and smiled. "Prey we don't meet each other again." He patted Kidd one last time before he walked off, just as the bell rang out loudly. At that moment, Kidd's eyes widened with anger as he spun around to look at the man but he was nowhere to be found in the growing sea of his classmates.


	49. Beautiful Disaster

_The days are such a blur…nothing waits for me in these dark days…only sadness and loneliness…my life holds no vigor for this tiresome game…but would the mocking bird still sing if he knew **Death** was near?_

A sigh escaped the boy's mouth, the only sign he was still alive. In the days that he gave himself willing to his parents and brother, he'd slowly began to go insane. _I haven't heard or spoken to any one of my friends since I last saw them at Kidd's house…I wonder if they've forgotten about me…I wonder if Maka is well…_

**_Maka…_**

Her name pulled at his slowly beating heart and soul. He hadn't heard a word from or about her since he'd been trapped there. He slowly looked away from his sorrowful poem, turning his head to look out a nearby window. It was the only _freedom_ that was given to him aside from the occasional galas he was forced to attend with his 'family'.

Every one of the extravagant parties was identical to the previous one. Nothing ever changed; not the scenery, the lies, and especially, not the faces. His mother still wanted to play her part his life as the 'perfect' mother. Sophia's distaste in her youngest son didn't deter her from still wanting a pure, decent bloodline to continue with him. After all, the family he creates, whether positive or negative, will reflect back to Sophia and her husband. So it was only natural she took it upon herself to arrange meetings for him with different girls that were around his age to possibly find a potential wife for him.

Soul couldn't help but cringe at the feeling of disgust when each girl touched his hand or arm. He often found himself pulling away from their touch, as if they were stricken with Lepercy. With each failed date he came back from, Sophia met him with nothing but hateful blows.

"_You should count yourself lucky that **any** girl would even give you the time of day…_"

_I had someone life that in my life…but you took her from me…_, the painful thought made him wince, as if the thought itself inflicted a mortal wound in his heart.

As if forcing girls down his throat wasn't enough, Soul wasn't allowed to eat at the same table as his parents, on top of his portions being meager compared to that of everyone else's.

_Even the servants eat better than I do…_, he thought before he stood and walked over to the large window. He slowly brought his right hand up and gently placed it against the cold glass before he glanced down at the ground below. Though two feet wasn't that long of a fall, Soul had contemplated the idea of it. But he knew something that simple couldn't kill him so easily. That and the fact was what would become of Maka if he were to disappear from the world? The young weapon knew his friends would take care of her, but how long before she was released from Wes' grasp and she finally woke to the nightmare that was reality?

Soul shut his eyes tightly and gritted his sharp teeth as he clenched his hand into a fist against the glass. The thought of seeing Maka in such a horrible mess over his own death made his stomach churn and his eyes sting from salty daggers.

_I can't do it…no matter what happens…I can't be such a coward and abandon her…_, he swore to himself before he finally brought up his head and opened his eyes to look outside. He noticed how the trees were being pushed by the growing wind and the dark, ominous clouds that came along with it. Soul starred at the clouds and felt something deep inside him scream loudly, but not once did he turn away from the **beautiful disaster** that was coming.


	50. The Final

**A/N: For the final chapter, I wanted to do something special and different than the rest. I designed this chapter to flow as if from a scene of a movie, in which I also included different songs (the words in **) I believe go perfectly with each part. These songs inspired the feelings I tried to convey in this chapter and I wanted to share it with you. All you have to do is listen and read. You don't have to but I highly recommend it :3 Without further a-do, here is the finale of _Don't Tell a Soul~_**

* * *

_***3055***_

The sorrowful sound of a piano played throughout the dark room. The lonely boy sat in front of the giant instrument as the rain continued to pound against the glass of his window. Though it was drowned out by his own creation, he knew it was there; his only friend and audience.

He kept his sad crimson orbs on his fingers as they slowly danced on the black and white dance floor-like keys. He studied every detail of the black piano with every bright flash of lightening; his only illumination through the large window to his left.

The boy hated the enormous room he was in with much discontent, he found himself only able to bare the room at night when the shadows were the single things that could silently judge him. The nights were the best gift the world could offer the lonely boy at the current moment, for it was the time he could be alone with his thoughts and music and no one else to scold him. His parents were fast asleep in their own bed room, far from ears reach. To the boy, that exact moment, was bliss.

For a brief moment, the boy glanced out of the wall-height window to catch the cracking rays of lightening that made his hair glow more pure than the first snow fall of winter. His crimson eyes soon found their way back to his dancing fingers before he gently closed them. He found that only the night could grant him such a pleasant gift, for during the day, he would be snuck up on and abused for his guilty pleasure. It didn't help that his back was facing the only entrance to the room but after only one painful mistake, he learned during the time the sun was up, was never a time to let his mind dream.

But not this time, not tonight. The young boy relished in the dark night's embrace and let his mind dream of only the wildest desires he could imagine. He felt each note radiate through each of his fingers, up his arms, throughout his body and soul. The music felt warm within him and soon he imagined himself standing in the middle of a pure black room.

But the dark room did not frighten him. He could only slowly look around and find a dim light shining down upon a slender, light skinned, light brown haired girl as she twirled on a single foot like a ballerina a couple of paces away from where he stood. His eyebrows rose in slight bewilderment and curiosity, but also hope. Hope that she was **who** he wanted her to be. Hope that she would **see** him and smile. Hope that she was **hoping** to see him too.

The young boy slowly took hesitant steps toward the girl in the pure white dress while his hand stretched out. With each step he took, his heart pounded harder. He couldn't see her face, but he knew the light brown hair that covered her face, was his girl he's looking for.

_***Dragster Wave***_

**In the real world, the young boy continued to play the piano with his eyes closed. A ray of lightening crashed to reveal a dark figure that slowly made their way toward the oblivious pianist with arms stretched out toward him before they disappeared in the darkness once more.**

In his dream, the boy finally reached the dancing girl just as the dark figure slowly stretched their hands out close to his neck in the real world.

"_Maka_", the young boy called out.

But just before his hand could touch her body, the young girl stopped dancing to reveal the face of a hideous creature with a horrible, ear splitting cry, not capable by any human.

The young boy's face contorted into pure fear, just as his true self opened his eyes to realize something was wrong. He threw himself to his right and landed on the floor, away from the piano and the unknown dark figure as the lightening crashed, to reveal a pale Maka in the same pure white dress he had just imagined her wearing in his dream.

**_*In a Heartbeat*_**

Maka's eyes glowed a deep green in the dark. The weapon could only stare up at her, with his mouth a gape from the ghostly sight. He finally snapped out of his trance when he saw the young girl turn to leave the room in a slow hurry.

The boy quickly got up and followed her lead into the dark hallway. He looked both ways, trying to see which direction she could have gone and caught glimpse of the tail of her white dress disappear around a corner to his left. He quickly ran in the same direction and turned on the corner only to see her tail again slowly slip into a crack of a door at the end of the long hallway. The young weapon felt his legs weren't carrying him fast enough down the hall as he ran but he finally reached the door and quickly tore it open. Inside, he found Maka hugging his brother as he sat comfortably in a large chair, a loose arm around the meister's small waist.

The young weapon was instantly filled with anger. "Why is she here?" his sudden scream caught even him off guard. "You promised to leave her out of this!"

The man laughed, "It isn't me, brother. This is all her doing. She says she wants to truly be done with you and be with me." He smirked before he looked up at the silent girl.

The boy clenched his fists in anger, trying hard to calm his eager weapon blood from taking control of his entire body. "Wes," he seethed through clenched teeth, "For the love of Kami, send her home! She doesn't need to be here- -!"

But just as quickly as the words left his mouth, Maka made her way to the young boy and grabbed him before she threw him across the room into a tall book shelf. He cried out in pain as soon as his back made contact with the hard object and fell to the floor.

Wes smiled before he slowly rose from his seat, "Maka, take the matter outside." He ordered without a second glance as he headed out the door,

The weapon began to pick himself up but felt strong hands on the back of his shirt that pulled him off the ground. Before he knew it, he was free falling. He watched Maka stand in front of the window as he fell down to the ground two stories below. He landed hard on his back, coughing up blood as his vision went blurry. The boy couldn't hear anything more once he hit the ground. The shattered glass poured hard against his still body just as the hard rain, but both were silent as sin. He felt his face and hands sting where the glass had cut him but the pain was nothing compared to the spider-web-like pain radiating throughout his back.

**_*Last Agni Kai*_**

He slowly picked himself up, dazed and trying hard to regain his barring but was quickly knocked back from Maka's sudden kick to his chest. The boy stumbled back but didn't fall down, grabbing his chest with his hand as sound instantly came back to him. "Stop this Maka!" he called out to her over the loud, pouring rain. "It's me Maka! Soul! I'm your partner! Wake up!"

The words fell on deaf ears as the girl continued her attacks. Soul brought his arms up and blocked her attacks but staggered back at the intense pain. He looked down at his arms and found large gashes in them, as if he was cut by a butcher's knife. His crimson eyes instantly shot up to Maka and saw her razor sharp knives in the back of her forearms. _Her weapon form…no…how did Wes know…?_, he couldn't finish the rest of his thoughts from the sudden attacks Maka threw at him. The weapon began blocking with scythe arms, trying hard not to get cut again. He kept his own for a while until Maka slashed his left thigh, knocking Soul down to the ground in pain.

Maka quickly seized the opportunity and jumped on top of him, straddling him with her hands around his neck, slowly tightening her grip. From the corner of Soul's eyes, he saw a blurry figure of Wes appear underneath a large umbrella.

The man smiled. Soul looked into brother's eyes, searching for a hint of remorse or humanity left in him but found none. "Maka, you know what to do."

As if the command was given, Maka's hands instantly tightened around Soul's throat while some of her blades slowly began to protrude out from her chest, ready to deliver the final strike. Soul looked up at Maka and saw her emotionless face. "…Maka…" his voice shook, "…I'm so sorry…for everything…" he cried as he look up with pleading eyes. His heart squeezed just as her hands squeezed his throat, causing him to gasp for air. "I-I…never…meant to…h-hurt you…" he gasped hard, vision getting blurry, "I-I…l-love…you…" he wheezed.

Maka's face twitched as her hands hesitated.

"What are you waiting for? Do it!" Wes screamed. The young girl's eyes began to water but her face remained the same. "Maka! Do it, **now**!"

The young meister's face slowly turned to a distressed, crying one. Her blades shattered into a million, tiny, bright pieces instantly and her hands slowly released Soul in time for him to take a much needed breath. "Soul…Soul…" she cried as she looked down at his bloody, scratched face. "…What have I done…?" she sat up and starred at her bloody hands.

Soul looked up at her, feeling his heart beat hard from the happiness. He felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth but his eyes widened at the view of Wes appearing behind her with a sword in his hands. "No!" Soul screamed on the top of his lungs.

Wes turned the sword deep into Maka's back until it made its way out for Soul to see the bloody blade. The weapon's face became distorted into fear, anguish, sorrow, and insanity. Maka fell forward and he caught her just before she could hit the ground. His frightened, wide eyes slowly looked down at her and found her eyes to be distant. Soul screamed on the top of his lungs. Soul looked straight at Wes as he gently placed Maka down on the ground. Once Maka's body was gently placed on the ground, Soul charged at his brother full force. "**You bastard!**" the boy's voice was feral and foreign, "**How could you?**"

Wes dodged his brother's attacks but could keep it up long enough in the rain. The man tripped on the slick ground, giving Soul the perfect opportunity and he took it. The boy stabbed his brother in both shoulders before stabbing his legs deep. Wes let out a painful scream as he fell to the ground and squirmed around from the agony.

_***Run***_

Soul stood over his brother and stabbed him once more at the center of his chest, no emotion on his face. Red liquid ran down the man's mouth but he still managed to smile up at his brother. "…heh…I always knew you'd be the one…to set us **free**…"

The weapon stood up straight and silently watched his brother painfully speak.

"…Mother…and Father…are both bdead/b…You won't have to…worry about them anymore…" he groaned.

"…how?" Soul's voice was emotionless as was his face.

The man chuckled, "…I bkilled/b them…slipped them a poison in their drinks…"

A disgusted look appeared of Soul's face, "Why would you do that…?"

Wes chuckled again, "Because…I knew they shouldn't be allowed to live…they were terrible people…just like me…" he gave a painful sigh.

Soul clenched his hands, "Why all of this then? Why?" he cried out.

The man listened to the rain a moment as he tried to steady his breathing, "Because…I'm an evil person Soul…I needed you to kill me…"

Soul clenched his jaw, "You knew all of this was going to happen…?" the question made his blood run cold, the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and his stomach churn.

Wes coughed up more blood, "…S-Since you left home…I knew…" he looked up at the young boy through one eye. He watched his brother grit his teeth in disgust and anger. "Soul…don't remember me this way…the real Wes died a long time ago…I am just what became of our parents' horrible ways…I never wanted this life for you…"

Soul felt his eyes began to water. "Then why…? Why didn't you protect me…?" his voice broke as his body shook from his sobs. "I needed you Wes...I needed my brother all those years ago…but you never came!" Soul screamed, "You hated me. So why wouldn't I grow to hate you too?"

Wes studied the rain that fell like a small waterfall from Soul's hair. "I'm sorry brother…" Wes wheezed. "your real brother never stopped loving you…I wasn't strong enough to keep the darkness out…but you were…I knew I wouldn't stop…wouldn't stop until I had you back home where we all could suffer….so I had to provoke you…to kill me…"

Soul shook as he sobbed harder, "But why…? Why the fuck did all this have to happen?" Soul screamed as he tightly shut his eyes.

The man coughed out a chuckle, "Because…you were always the one…_**you've been the only thing….that's been right…**_" he coughed up more blood. "Soul…do me a favor…help me up…there is one last thing I need to do…"

Soul hesitated before he finally pulled his brother up and helped him inside the house. The tall man slowly pulled out a metal box from his shirt pocket and opened it. Inside was a smaller box of matches, in which he took one and lit it.

"What are you doing?"

Wes watched the flame dance on the tip of the stick a moment, "…I don't want this horrible memory to stay alive…" he threw the match onto the floor and it lit up easily from the gasoline he threw all around. "Take me back outside…" Wes asked after they both watched the flames consume the floor.

They walked slowly outside in the slowing rain toward a single bench by a small pond. Soul slowly lowered his brother onto the bench and watched him as he continued to cough up blood. Wes' eyes slowly began to lose life but he still managed to pull out his cell phone. Soul watched as he pressed the '#' button before he let it fall out of his hand onto the ground by his feet.

"What was that for…?"

Wes took a moment to answer, "…I don't want my house…it's also…a bad…memory…that shouldn't be…"

Soul watched his brother as he wheezed painfully. He felt his heart squeezed at the sight.

"…Stop it….Don't feel sorry…for me…and don't worry…you won't…be blamed…I told Napa…to call…Shinigami…to report this when I set off…my house….police should…arrive here….in a bit…" he coughed harder, getting difficult to speak. "…and don't worry…I-I missed…her heart…she will make it…she's strong…"

Soul's eyes widened slightly. He watched as his brother shook violently. Wes slowly looked up at the falling rain and suddenly, it slowed down around him. He could see each droplet float all around him, as if time had stopped. No sound was heard and he felt nothing. He smiled once more before he finally surrendered to Death's embrace.

The young weapon cried and shook violently. Only a few minutes passed by before he finally tore himself away to run to Maka, who was lying where he had left her. Soul cradled her and screamed out on the top of his lungs as he cradled her. His scream echoed out into the dark night as the sirens cried along with him in the distance.


	51. Someday

**_One Year Later_**

I slowly wake up to the sound of breakfast being made. The smell soon follows the sound through the crack of my bed room door. Rays of light creep through the curtains, giving me only more motivation to start my day.

I scratch my head as I lazily stand up from the bed with messy sheets. I pass by a familiar picture frame that holds a photo I love so much. In it, I'm standing next to a girl with light brown hair, hugging her with the happiest smile I could have shown anyone. She smiled so hard, her eyes were closed but it was proof enough that she was just as happy as I was.

My shower didn't take long and soon I was in the kitchen, making my way to make myself some toast to go with the eggs and bacon that were made for me. I popped the slices in the toaster and pressed the lever down for them to cook before I turned to look at the loving woman who sat at the table, eating silently.

"'Morning," I greeted with a smirk. "What's with the get up?" I notice her attire is more formal than her usual every day attire.

She takes a bite of her toast and swallows it before she decides to speak, "…It's that time."

My toast pops out of the toaster just then, making her words a reality to me. As if it called me, I looked over at the calendar we had hanging up on our fridge and saw the date. "Oh…I see. That it is…" I speak, trying to have a nonchalant voice, but I know she knows me enough to catch up on my lie.

"…I know it's hard…I mean, I wouldn't know because I haven't lost someone close to me yet…but we don't have to go if you don't want to…"

I turned to attention to my toast, trying to seem unaffected by the whole situation. "No, it's fine. I don't care. You're already dressed, we can go. Just let me eat and I'll get ready." I try to seem busy with my food but I can hear it in her movement that she doesn't buy it one bit.

* * *

I often think a lot when I drive my motorcycle, and today was no exception. The young girl sat behind me, holding my waist tightly with her arms as we made our way toward a place we hadn't been in an entire year. It was a place I didn't want to visit any more often than I already had to.

I try to shake away the negative thoughts by thinking of all the positive things that have come after the horrible incident. After a week of being in the hospital, Maka recovered to full strength and was able to come home where she truly belonged. I never hugged someone so hard nor so long. It was embarrassing at first, but over time, we fell in step with the norms of being a just one person.

It was also hard to go over the events that happened before her recovery. She didn't believe that she was a mindless zombie who was controlled by someone she thought she loved and who she thought loved her back.

"I'm such a fool…"

She told me as she cried but I didn't hate her. I only hated my brother more for the things he'd done. It became more apparent when the body of Jun turned up at the remains of what was once my brother's house. Maka cried because she knew it wasn't the fire that killed the crazed, deranged man. But never once, did I pull away from her.

Her truthfulness gave me strength to tell her of the events that happened during my own blind moment. I told her about Mauri and how my brother used her. I also confessed to us losing our virginities to each other because I was lead to believe we were in love, which was far from the truth. She went silent and looked away, which was exactly how I thought she would react but it didn't last long because she admitted to have lost her virginity to my brother, which caused me to react more than she had. But after I collected my thoughts, I came to my senses and told her it wasn't her fault. My brother was a manipulative man who also got what he wanted, at any cost. And Maka was the cost of what he wanted, which was me.

I apologized to her, for not being a true partner and protecting her from the evil he knew was behind my brother's mask. But Maka only shook her head and said she was just at fault for not listening to me. Regardless, we decided it was best to let the past burn up and fade away just as the houses of my family had.

Soon after Maka recovered, Mauri and Santiago got on a plane and headed back to Italy. Though I never patched things up with her weapon, Mauri and I spoke as calmly as could be. She apologized for the crimes she had committed but I stopped her and told her she didn't have to. Had it been me, I would have done exactly that and probably even murder to save Maka. She smiled and cried, feeling at peace finally. She hugged me and thanked me for the kindness I had shown her and for being the best replacement weapon anyone could ask for. I brushed it off and told her to stay out of trouble, that's all I wanted from her. That and to be truly happy.

Death the Kidd still had his doubts about me and my "moment of blindness". Liz had to coax him into listening to what I had to say and soon enough, he finally accepted my story, even though he didn't like it.

"How could you forget Maka so easily?"

"Break the bond between you and the girls and you tell me." I answered him, which shut him up easily.

His moment of being upset was short lived because soon after, he and Liz decided to try out being a couple. Patty was happy as always, but Liz knew it would require much more patience with his "symmetry" problem. They've made it work thus far, and all of them have been happy.

Liz wasn't the only one having to deal with patience, Tsubaki had become a saint by the time she and Black* became an item. Though in my eyes, it looks more like a mother doting over her childish son. But who am I to judge them? If it works for them, it works for me.

Just as I finished the warm thoughts, we reached our destination and instantly my heart began to race. I couldn't help the racy feeling that spread throughout my entire body. It was Maka who came and broke me out of my panicked situation with a gentle touch to my cheek. She slowly turned my cheek until I was looking straight at her moss colored eyes.

"It's ok…there is no reason for you to rush…take your time with this…" she gently stroked my cheek, calming me down enough to blink.

"Thanks…" I breathed, before touching her hand with my own, "do you mind if I do this alone?" I looked down at her.

"Not at all," she smiled warmly.

I pulled out the bouquet of red and white roses she had bought earlier from a bag on the side of my bike and made my way toward a large lawn of green grass. I pass by many tombstones, reading many of them but paying not any particular attention to them. I finally stop in front of the stone that read "_Evans_".

I ignored the stones that read "loving parents" and knelt down in front of one that was separate from the others. I gently place the flowers down in front of the grey stone and close my eyes. I know I should say a silent prayer but nothing comes to mind other than '_I wish I could have known the real you_'.

I open my eyes before I stand up and stare at the name a long moment. I finally pull myself from the grave site and make my way back toward Maka. She welcomes me with opens arms and I hug her, inhaling her familiar scent that always calmed me down.

She gently runs her hand up and down my back, "…I'm sorry Soul...he's in a better place now…" she whispered before kissing me gently.

I take her hand in mine and lead her back to my motorcycle to continue our life together.

**_The lonely tombstone reads:_**

_Wes Evans_

_Lost Brother_

_"Someday…it'll be better…someday we'll be ok…someday…someday…"_

_**THE END**_

* * *

_**A/N: THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR READING! IT WAS A PLEASURE POSTING THIS STORY HERE AND READING ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS! IT WAS FUN :) ~MIZUINK**_


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